Surgical clips

[Frances123]

I have just received a chest X-ray report which thankfully was clear. On it though after saying Heart and mediastinal contours are normal it says Surgical clips in the left lower zone. It then goes onto lungs etc. First I’ve heard of the clips and have no idea what left zone they are talking about?. Not at all worried but would just like to know when things are left in! Are they used in ablations and if so would they be left in? Thanks for any insight. x

[BobD Volunteer]

Shouldn't be anyghing left behind Frances You need to query this big time! Have you had thorasic surgery ever?

[Frances123 in reply to BobD]

No never. Did have lumpectomy to left breast for breast cancer 2017 but clips left in were never mentioned then?

[Hidden]

Hi Frances123, generally when clips are left inside the body following surgery it's a deliberate action, sometimes to control bleeding events. They are made of titanium and therefore safe to be left inside you, but I do wish we'd be afforded the courtesy of an explanation when this is a decision. I don't know why you had surgery, but if it was a mitral valve repair, then they are an essential part of that procedure. But the position you mention, indicates that's not the case anyway. Hope that helps!

[Frances123 in reply to Hidden]

Only surgery I have had was the lumpectomy for left breast cancer in 2017. Only procedures since then have been a cryoablation and RFablation. Thanks.

[Hidden]

I had clips left in after breast cancer surgery. First I knew was when I had a scan for something else. I agree we should know if they leave things in. I was asked if I had any metal and I said ‘no’ because I didn’t know (it was okay though)

[Frances123 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you and same here I’ve always said no and wish we are told. x

[Desanthony in reply to Frances123]

This is annoying and upsetting. Thing is quite often after surgery you are visited by the surgeon soon after when you are still anxious and under the influence of the anaesthetic and drugged up on pain killers and they go through things and you don't have any idea what they are saying or what it means and probably will not remember any of it. I was first aware of this when in a ward after falling and breaking ribs about 6 years ago and an old farmer was wheeled in after an operation to reset bones and the surgeon was telling him things and you could see there was no way he could take it all in or understand what he was being told at the time and also was unlikely to remember - I am not saying this happened to you as I know sometimes things are not ever mentioned but I do think that - other than telling you everything went well straight after the operation the time to tell you things in detail and explain any future treatment you will need is just before you leave hospital - preferably with your partner or someone with you to also make sense of it maybe with this noted in a letter for you to take with you to re read so that you can take it all in. My wife also noticed this when she was in hospital once when a poor young girl was trying very hard to take things in after she had had a hysterectomy and the surgeon was trying to explain things and to be honest my wife said she found it hard to follow the conversation too as she was worried about the girl who was trying to get out of the bed all the time. He told the girl they had found a hole in her uterus and she was questioning it as she couldn't understand how she could have had a hole in her uterus and eventually the surgeon realised he hadn't actually told her that they had made the hole in her uterus during the operation by accident! My wife says she often wonders exactly what that poor girl remembers from what the surgeon told her almost immediately after she had been wheeled back to the ward. My wife was discharged that day and the young girl had been asleep since the conversation with the surgeon until my wife left later that day.

[Frances123 in reply to Desanthony]

Thank you. Didn’t see surgeon afterwards which I didn’t mind as I knew I was going for results in 2 weeks so expected details then. I was only in for the afternoon. x

[spinningjenny]

I’ve also had clips left in after a lumpectomy. Nobody mentioned it until next time I had a mammogram and they were pointed out. I get the feeling it’s pretty routine. I presume they are metal.

[Frances123 in reply to spinningjenny]

I’ve had 3 mammograms since lumpectomy and not once were they mentioned. I can only assume they think we know. x

[Frances123]

Thank you to all who replied. I emailed my EP yesterday who replied within minutes and said it wasn’t from my ablations as he hadn’t used any. I then rang breast surgeons secretary who confirmed they had been seen on all my mammograms (news to me) but to ask breast nurse so she can go through notes. Just had email back and they were indeed left in during surgery, as others have suggested. Oh well at least I didn’t set alarms of at an airport or suddenly find myself dragged along by a magnet! 🤣. x

[Desanthony in reply to Frances123]

You really should have been told before you left hospital after your operation. That's really disgusting.

[Frances123 in reply to Desanthony]

Thank you. Didn’t see surgeon before discharge home. Was going for pathology results 2 weeks later so didn’t expect to be told a lot before then. x

[baba]

Absolutely disgusting that you weren't informed at the time.

[Frances123 in reply to baba]

Thank you. Looking on BC forum it seems it is common practice but many are very upset to find out later. I have emailed BC nurse back and asked if this info could be added in future into the booklet you are given detailing pathology. x

[Desanthony in reply to Frances123]

Good idea.