Medical Information Needed

[Motiv]

Hello to all VR family members,

To our dismay I was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer just before Christmas. I have since completed 5 and a half weeks of chemo and radiation treatments, I have tolerated both very well. Now the doctor is suggesting re-sectioning my rectum into my anal muscle and possibly a colostomy, which I would like to greatly avoid.

 

I am seeking information on a medical device that is internally implanted that closes off the rectum when pumped. There are two products I was able to search out by the trade name of “Soft anal band” and another called “Neosphincter”.

The problem is my surgeon or hospital does not perform this procedure and I can’t find anyone that does. I may not be googling this correctly cause all I can find is study data and sales info on these devices.

 

If someone out there in VR land has a relative or a friend or otherwise has any info on a doctor or hospital or a way I can find who does this procedure please PM me as I want to be armed with as much information as possible before my next doctor visit. I am located in the Cleveland Ohio area if this helps.

I want thank you all in advance for any help. It was a bit difficult to write this as I am usually a private person in such matters but I truly need some help and don’t want this turned into a sympathy thread.

 

Regards, Paul

[Freebird]

Paul,

I hope that somebody here has some information for you. I know you well enough to know that it was hard for you to post this. It sounds like the device that you are asking about is not extremely well known but this is a very diverse group so hopefully somebody has some experience with it or knows somebody who does.

 

In the meantime, we will continue our prayers.

 

Folks, I don't know that any of you have met Paul in person but he is one of the good ones. You just never know who you will meet through this forum but we met Paul and his wife Julie probably a year ago. He bought a RSV and found this forum and it turned out that he only lives a few miles down the road from us. They are great people and it truly hurts me to know what he is going through now.

 

If you know anything about what he is asking, please speak up. If you don't, please keep him in your prayers.

[Marcarl]

Don't know anything about the medical thing, but I know about prayer and how it works,,, so I'll be one of those who go that route.

Thanks for asking.

[djh3]

Sent a PM. Hope the folks can get you some info.

[Flyinfool]

Obvious question, but have you tried contacting the places you found with sales info to see who they sell to?

 

Best of luck to you.

[Sailor]

Have you googled Proctologist?

[cowpuc]

Wish I could help Paul - nothing to share in regard to the equipment you mention. I will say this though, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours as you fight on with your battle against Cancer!!

Puc

[Prairiehammer]

The Cleveland Clinic has surgeons with experience with the Acticon Neosphincter, but those surgeons are in Florida. Seeing how the Cleveland Clinic is home based in Cleveland, I would think they would have knowledgeable surgeons in your location. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/Florida/Home/departments/colorectal_surgery

[Motiv]

I have found a lot of the information I was looking for, fortunately I live in a region with couple of the finest hospitals around I am being seen at University Hospital Case Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic is just down the street. The Clinic has a surgeon that doe this work so I will attempt to contact her office in the morning.

 

 

 

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes I will gladly embrace them as there is power in positivity and prayer!

 

 

 

As a side note, if you are on the fence about a colonoscopy or just not feeling right for a while in that region please get checked out it was not that bad but I was put under for the procedure, it may just save your life. I am 50 but wish I have done it sooner but there were no symptoms till a few months prior to getting one.

 

 

 

You guys and gals are a great bunch! I look forward to riding with you in the future.

 

Best Regards, Paul

[GAWildKat]

You have my sincerest sympathies on your illness. I hope you find the answers you look for and have a good recovery. You are right that colonoscopy exams are scary and intimidating, but so is cancer. I'm 40 and had my 1st exam at age 27, totally different thing going on at the time, but I was told I'm at risk for cancer later on. Colon cancer can hit as young as 30 with few symptoms until it's too late to treat.