Description of Event or Problem · 1
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN ESOPHAGEAL FISTULA. MY DOCTOR RECOMMENDED THAT AN ESOPHAGEAL STENT BE USED TO CLOSE THE FISTULA. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STENT SHOULD STAY IN PLACE APPROX 10 WEEKS. THE STENT WAS PUT IN PLACE ON (B)(6) 2011 BY DR (B)(6) AT (B)(6) HOSP AS AN OUTPATIENT. THEY USED BOSTON SCIENTIFIC STENT THAT I WAS TOLD WAS COVERED WITH SILICONE. THE STENT WAS 4" LONG AND WAS PLACED APPROX 2" DOWN INTO MY ESOPHAGUS. FROM THE TIME THE STENT WAS PUT IN, I HAD SEVERE CHEST PAIN. THIS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND I TRIED TO CONTROL IT WITH PAIN MEDICATIONS. IN (B)(6), I STARTED WHEEZING AND THINGS JUST DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT WHEN I TRIED TO EAT. THIS GRADUALLY GOT WORSE AS I FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING MORE THAN 1 OR 2 BITES. IF I TRIED TO EAT ANY MORE THAN THAT, I WOULD BECOME CHOKED AND HAD TO GAG TO EXPEL THE FOOD. DURING THE TIME THE STENT WAS IN PLACE, I LOST OVER (B)(6). DURING THIS TIME OF CHOKING, I WENT TO MY DOCTOR SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE CHEST PAIN AND CHOKING. I WAS TOLD IF I HAD THE STENT REMOVED TOO SOON THEN IT WILL HAVE ALL BEEN FOR NOTHING. IT NEEDED TO STAY IN LONGER. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF (B)(6) WHEN I COULD NO LONGER STAND IT. BY THEN I FELT LIKE JUST SWALLOWING MY SALIVA WAS GOING TO CHOKE ME TO DEATH. I DEMANDED THE STENT BE REMOVED. ON (B)(6) 2012, I WAS ADMITTED TO (B)(6) HOSP FOR AN OUTPATIENT PROCEDURE TO REMOVE THE STENT. DR (B)(6), MY THORACIC SURGEON, WAS DOING THE PROCEDURE. HE ATTEMPTED TO USE BOTH A RIGID AND A FLEXIBLE SCOPE BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE SCOPES DOWN MY ESOPHAGUS. THE OPENING TO MY ESOPHAGUS WAS NEARLY CLOSED. HE STOPPED THE PROCEDURE, ADMITTED ME TO THE HOSP AND I WAS PLACED ON A LIQUID DIET. ON (B)(6) 2012, ANOTHER DOCTOR, DR (B)(6), A GASTRO SPECIALIST, ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE STENT. HE WORKED TO CUT AWAY MY TISSUE WHICH HAD GROWN OVER THE STENT. HE WAS ABLE TO INSERT HIS SCOPE AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE DRAW STRING TO COLLAPSE AND WITHDRAW THE STENT. AFTER WORKING QUITE A WHILE, USING QUITE A BIT OF FORCE, HE DECIDED HE COULD NOT SAFELY REMOVE THE STENT. I WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSP. ON (B)(6) 2012, I WAS ADMITTED TO (B)(6) AND DR (B)(6) MADE THE 3RD ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE STENT. BETWEEN (B)(6) AND (B)(6), MY ESOPHAGUS HAD NEARLY GROWN CLOSED AGAIN. DR (B)(6) SAID THE OPENING WAS THE SIZE OF A COFFEE STIR STRAW. HE WORKED FOR OVER 4 HOURS TRYING TO REMOVE THE STENT. DURING THIS ATTEMPT, THE DRAW STRING BROKE. HE ALSO FELT HE COULD NOT SAFELY REMOVE THE STENT WITHOUT DOING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO MY ESOPHAGUS. HE WAS FORCED TO STOP AND LEAVE THE STENT IN PLACE. DR (B)(6) AND DR (B)(6) WANTED TO DISCUSS MY CASE AND RESEARCH MY OPTIONS. I WAS ABLE TO EAT FOR APPROX 2 WEEKS AND THEN I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE EATING AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY DOCTORS TO TELL THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND TO ASK WHAT THEY HAD FOUND OUT. I MET WITH MY DOCTOR AND WAS TOLD I HAD 2 OPTIONS. I COULD LEAVE THE STENT IN PLACE PERMANENTLY, LIVE WITH THE PAIN AND PERIODICALLY HAVE MY ESOPHAGUS CLEANED OUT/STRETCHED SO I COULD EAT WITHOUT CHOKING. THE OTHER OPTION WAS MAJOR SURGERY WITH HIGH RISKS AND SURGICAL CHANGES. I MADE THE DECISION TO HAVE THE SURGERY. I WAS TERRIFIED AT THE PROSPECT OF NOT MAKING IT THROUGH THE SURGERY AND THOUGHTS OF WHAT MY FUTURE HEALTH WOULD BE. MY SURGERY WAS DONE ON (B)(6) 2012. THE DOCTORS WERE ALMOST CERTAIN THAT I WOULD LOSE MY ESOPHAGUS. NOT JUST THE 4" ATTACHED TO THE STENT BUT THE ADD'L 4" OF HEALTHY ESOPHAGUS BELOW THE STENT WOULD ALSO BE LOST. WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE STENT MY ESOPHAGUS WAS DESTROYED. THEY HAD TO ELONGATE MY STOMACH AND PULL IT UPWARD AND CONNECT IT TO THE REMAINING 2" OF ESOPHAGUS I HAD LEFT AT THE TOP. MY SURGERY WAS OVER 8 HOURS AND REQUIRED THORACOTOMY ON MY LEFT SIDE TO GIVE ACCESS TO MY CHEST, AN INCISION ON MY NECK TO GET TO THE TOP 2" OF MY ESOPHAGUS, VARIOUS DRAINAGE TUBES, INCISIONS ON MY MIDRIFF TO GET TO MY SMALL INTESTINES AND THE PLACEMENT OF A J TUBE SO I AM ABLE TO EAT BY TUBE FEEDINGS WHILE MY STOMACH/ESOPHAGUS HEALS. IT TAKES 8-10 HOURS PER DAY TO EAT. I ALSO HAD A WOUND VAC AND STITCHES ALONG WITH THORACOTOMY INCISION. I DEVELOPED A SEVERE INFECTION IN THE LARGE INCISION AND WAS HOSPITALIZED AGAIN. THE INCISION HAD TO BE OPENED AND PACKED DAILY SO IT WOULD ALLOW THE INFECTION TO DRAIN OUT. THE INFECTION DID CLEAR UP AFTER 2 WEEKS. AS OF (B)(6) 2012, THE WOUND VAC HAS BEEN REMOVED. I AM LEARNING TO DEAL WITH NOT HAVING AN ESOPHAGUS AND THE PROBLEMS THAT PRESENTS. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN ANY INFO ABOUT THE STENT THAT WAS PLACED IN MY BODY. I CAN FIND NO RECORD OF A "UNIQUE DEVICE IDENTIFIER." I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN ANY PRODUCT ID OR OTHER INFO ABOUT THIS STENT. THE STENT WAS SENT FOR BIOLOGICAL TESTING AND THEN COULD NOT BE RETURNED TO ME BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED A BIOLOGICAL HAZARD.