Cystogram Urine Leak - JP Drain

Three weeks post op with Da Vinci surgery.

I still have a catheter in and a JP Drain. Needless to say I am climbing the walls.

I had a cystogram last week which confirmed a leak where the uretha is attached to the bladder. My Bun/Creatin tests also confirmed high levels of urine in my body fluid.

The doc who performed the surgery wants me to not compress the JP drain. However doing so creates pain in my lower abdomen. And, I question what happens to the fluids that are leaking if I'm not draining them?

The doctor I now consult for a second opinion wants the JP drain compressed and the fluid levels recorded. He feels/hopes the leak I have will eventually correct itself.

I'm going with the recommendation of my second opinion doctor.

Right now I'm draining 500cc/day into the JP drain (light yellow fluid that smells uriney).

I'm also having tremendous pain in the back of both upper legs (hamstring area). I felt this may be from not moving around a lot, but I'm walking a minimum of 1/2-3/4 miles per day to move things around. I'm also up walking in the house every hour and massaging my back leg area (not sure why but hoping it'll provide relief).

1. Not sure what happens if this leak doesn't slow down. Or how long is a reasonable time to continue to monitor and record this. What's the next step - more surgery????

2. Also not sure if the pain in my legs is attributed to anything with my uretha leak.

Prayers, miracles, support is appreciated.

Thank you and god bless

I understand how difficult changing doctors midstream can be. The doctor in whom your trust is rattled (most likely the one who operated) is also the same doctor who knows the most about your case. Catch 22. This can be exacerbated by the fact that the doctor who performed the surgery may very well have a great reputation and **** happens even with the best. You can worry about transcripts later. They're not going to fix you. You need answers moving forward...

Have you been given any sort of a plan of action?
How long do we wait for the leak to stop of it's own accord?
How many times have you seen this complication?
How many times have you seen it not stop leaking on its own?

These are the sorts of questions I asked when I was in your predicament.
Answers and information gives one comfort...(Or at least it did me).

It's probable that there's not that much urine in your abdomen. (The drain sees to that). There was quite a bit in mine...my surgeon doesn't use a JP drain. We had no way of knowing it was leaking. You do. (Which is good).

Get some answers. Call the after hours doctor on call if need be. One can get alot of useful/comforting information that way. Especially if your doc ain't big on talkin'. (You may need a specific problem to get through...wink, wink. But once they're on the line...ask away).

When's your next doctor's appointment?

Speaking from experience in our household, husband had pretty much same issue (minus leg pain). Catheter ended up being in 3 1/2 weeks. The hope was also that the leak would heal itself. Eventually it did, but not until after they took the JP drain out.

The day the catheter stopped working and the JP drain was sucking everything out of the bladder was the day they pulled the JP drain saying it had outlived its purpose. It was actually resting on the place where the leak was drawing out all of the urine and not allowing the area to heal. Once they pulled it, the connection was able to heal and the catheter came out a week later. We also had to keep track of amounts. 500cc a day is nothing. We were monitoring well over 2000cc a day.

Where do the fluids go? Into your abdominal cavity or out through your urine and, hopefully, what doesn't pass out through urine, your body will absorb. That being said, my husband had leg swelling after everything came out. A CT scan showed a pocket of fluid that they had to drain off because it was not allowing proper flow of fluids from his leg. Once they tapped it and drained it all, his legs haven't been swollen any more.

Patience is key even though it is very hard. Recovery is as much a mind game as it is a body healing process. Just when you think it will never end, it does.

I would talk to your doctor about your leg pain. That could be a clot lurking in there. They did a CT scan on my husband's legs thinking his leg swelling and pain could have been a clot and that is when they found the pocket of fluid in his belly.

Hang in there!