Excision of fistula

[PostivelyJo]

Hello everyone,

I’m about to have a very large unused fistula removed on Wednesday from my left arm. Any one any experiences ?

[Yankcg70]

I never could because the ultra sound showed it was too connect to other tissue etc after all these years

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Mine was a graft. They couldn't make a fistula since I have such tiny veins.

Anyway, the graft started causing problems with nerve pain and swelling of my inner part of my arm. I have had 2 surgeries over several years to get in removed.. It is all gone now except for a part of it in the crook of my arm

Be careful with all of this. I've had problems with my ulna nerve in my arm. I finally had to have surgery last September where the surgeon moved the nerve from the back of my arm to the front.

[bakermaker222]

I have a very large unused fistula on my left arm also. So far they won't remove mine. My year anniversary will be in Sept and I am hoping to get it removed then. Please let me know how it goes. It was an easy surgery to have done. Best of Luck to you. Hugs

[PostivelyJo in reply to bakermaker222]

Hi. It went really well. Took 1 hour instead if the 3 they were expecting . They said it was because it was unused that made it quick . I have quite a big scar and a biggish bulge at my elbow. So not completely back to normal but SO much better than it was. No pain at all apart from bruised nerves which lasted 2/ 3 days .

It was very straightforward.

[bakermaker222 in reply to PostivelyJo]

Thank you for sharing. It sounds as if you are happier without it. I may do it too. Good Luck.

[Moto-boat]

Mine was clotting after 5-yrs without use after the transplant.

Surgeon took out the clot & worked his manic. Back to completely normal & no ugly snake or lump up my forearm.

Good Luck!

[PeterPetrinec]

i had elbow one removed because it was too big, surgery without complications, but lots of nerve pain after, eventually all good and healed

[PostivelyJo]

Thank you for that. Surgery this Wednesday . I feel so disfigured by it I can’t bear to look at my arm ! Shallow aren’t I !

[Lifechanger1]

I had a perma cath put in my chest. So I can’t help, sorry.

[PostivelyJo]

Thanks everyone . Surgery was a success , big scar and a but of a bulge but it doesn’t bother me that much. Glad I had it done.

Thanks for all the messages

[daxielovinglady]

Why would you want to loose your lifeline, should rejection occur ?

[PostivelyJo]

I understand why you think this. But when I discussed this with a surgeon he said he felt people fell into 2 camps. Those that wanted it there and those that needed it removed in order to move on. I fall in to the latter.