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Fistula repair surgeons in MA?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 2/23/2011 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
hi everyone! I posted over the wknd about a draining perianal abscess I currently have- well it's pretty much stopped draining, just oozing a bit. I have an appt. with my GI tomorrow to discuss- I'm not sure if the infection is completely gone. Anyway- I am sure I'm going to be left with another fistula from this- I've had an RV fistula for about 3 years, & now will have a perineal one too. Stinks! I had met with Dr. Deborah Nagle, head of colorectal surgery at BIDMC about repairing the RV fistula- she wasn't too uplifting, re. successful surgery. Although I don't doubt her qualifications. Also had a surgery consult with Dr. David Schoetz, at Lahely Clinic in Burlington- this was for a proctocolecto0my, but he comes very highly recommended for fistula repair also. Boston is much closer for me- I live on Cape Cod. Does anyone have any experience with a good colorectal surgeon in MA, specifically for fistula repair? Any feedback is helpful- thanks!
Posted 2/23/2011 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
My colorectal surgeon was Dr. Arcand...I had everything done at St. Vincents (also called the Worcester Med Center). He drained an abscess and it ended up forming a fistula too. However, he too wasn't real upbeat about surgical options regarding it....he more or less wanted me to wait and see if Cimzia closed it up. He said the recurrence of fistulas with people with Crohn's is pretty high, and the problem with surgery is that if they're too deep he'd have to remove part of the sphincter (I think?) and it'd cause incontinence and be a nightmare.
Posted 2/23/2011 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
I would highly recommend Dr. Liliana Bordeianou at Mass General in Boston. She has done surgery on a peri-anal abscess for me and a fistulotomy. She has great bedside manner. Goodluck!

http://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/doctor.aspx?id=17349
Posted 2/23/2011 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
has it started to close at all, can you tell? I guess also, if they try to do a surgical repair on tissue that's at all inflamed, it won't "take", the tissue just won't heal. Well, I"m always in some state of inflammation, so..... it seems hard to believe that in this day & age, modern medicine can't seem to repair these. Frustrating.

Posted 2/23/2011 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
I dont know about Mass docs nor do I know what part of MA you are in but if you are near the RI border there are some great colorectal surgeons in awtucket RI they are about 10-15 minutes from the emerald square mall in So Attleboro and about the same from seekonk if you would like more info on them feel free to ask. I hate **** clinic just because my Uncle was going to go in for the jpouch for his UC..needless to say he passed after mult complications and when they tried for malpractice (they sent him home with serious infection...again this also happened when he was 29 and I was 12 at the time ..i am now 32) I just have fearful memories of that place...sorry just saw about the cape... my ex inlaws live in wareham and that is approx 1.25 hrs to where I mentioned my docs did do a fistula repair (enterocutanous) if you take 195 to the 95 split err I mean the new bridge take it to Prov and it is if I recall sry in Oregon now exit 25 off of rt 95N yes i no longer have a belly button but he was an amazing doc took 4 surgeries from my perforation etc then more and more issues the fistula being the last and since then I have had some active disease but no more fistulas since (knock on wood) with my Humira weekly dr Vrees was my doc (matthew his wife who took his name is a high risk OBGYN so make sure you look for him not her =D )

Best of luck

Post Edited By Moderator (Ides) : 2/23/2011 5:39:21 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/23/2011 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
I see Dr. Read at the Lahey Clinic and they are just wonderful there.
I know that is no help to you but I felt like sharing!
Posted 2/23/2011 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I am sure **** is a great hospital but when you have a close family member have bad stuff happen and it was malpractice it kind of freaks you out =(

I am sure there are wonderful docs there

Post Edited By Moderator (Ides) : 2/23/2011 5:38:35 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/24/2011 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
My colo-rectal surgeon told me he "tends to do as little as possible, surgically, when it comes to perianal fistulas with his Crohn's patients"

They prefer using meds, I guess anyway, and see if they do they job.
Posted 2/24/2011 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
thank you everyone- I don't mind traveling to other parts of the state, as long as it's worth it. I know surgically repairing fistulas is dicey, at best. I haven't decided if I even want to pursue it- seems like a lot to undergo, with the odds against you! I wish the meds I'm on would help them, but I've been on a biologic (either Remi or Humira) the last 4+ years, along with Imuran, and so far, nothings closed!

Posted 2/28/2011 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
KR13IS : when you saw Dr.Liliana Bordeianou at Mass General in Boston, was she able to fully correct your issue? If not could you share her recommendations?

My husband has been dealing with a chronic high/ deep fistula that is being kept open/ draining with a Seton. We have heard about the 'plug' that docs insert via surgery and hope it 'takes' to close up the fistula, but it's a 50/50 shot. We really want to avoid the sphincter muscle removal as my husband is only 31... We recently moved to Mass and need to find a reputable doctor with positive experience in healing these fistulas...

Thanks to anyone with advice!!
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