Dear Friends, I (Beverly Doucette) am sharing my experience of having had surgery performed under Dr. Harry Reich of New York City - since a number of you asked about it in greater detail. Please keep in mind that this is MY surgery and that each one of us has a case history unique to each one of us. I also am stating MY interpretation of how the body responds to and creates adhesions - as I understand that physiological process.
Previous to consenting to Dr. Reich's adhesiolysis procedure, I requested a copy of it so that I could determine for myself what was being done differently from the other adhesiolysis, which I had. I also checked out his credentials with the AMA - all very outstanding recommendations!! I then asked for statistics of the surgery and - even though he has not kept a following of his patients - he does have some figures on it; and it looked to be the higher % of success for non-reforming adhesions with his procedure.
Dr. Reich also videotapes his entire surgery for you.
Dr. Reich's theory regarding non-reforming adhesions is: " The solution to pollution is dilution " - and he stands by that phrase yet today. This procedure is done through a minimally invasive route. One small incision in the navel for the camera, two 1 " to 2 " incisions on each side of the lower abdomen for instrument use. Dr. Reich is the only ambidextrious surgeon in the United States - and that is a plus for us!
He does a diagnostic look-around upon entering the cavity - looking for any invasive pathology besides adhesions. He evaluates the situation and then determines his plan of treatment. In the event that there are dense adhesions, he proceeds to dissect (separate) them. This is not an easy process and is very involved.
I can understand why most doctors do not want to challenge themselves by doing a lysis - which is dangerous and tedious - as the doctor is working right up against and around the intestines, etc.
Based on Dr. Reich's vast experience with laparoscopic surgeries, he has developed a technique like no other surgeon in the world! That is why he has the reputation as being the best laparoscopic surgeon in the world!
It was the clean-up at the end of his surgery that impressed me the most - and was also the reason I chose to go to him to have this done! He cleans out almost every piece of clotted blood that is in, around, under, and virtually all over in the abdominal cavity following the surgery! He believes it is this residual clotted blood that the anti-bodies in an adhesion-former's system respond to as " foreign " - and thus creates an adhesion over it to protect the internal organs! Now, this is exactly how our body's defense system works!
Think about your getting a sliver (externally, of course). What does your body's defense system do to that foreign body? It sends out the leukocytes and creates an " infection " to get rid of it - right? Internally, one of two types of defense systems kick in when there is a problem:
1.) If our appendix ruptures, we get peritonitis (an internal infection - like pus or white blood cells that spill into the cavity). Those white cells are responding to an inflammation in the appendix and build up and burst; but it was a defense mechanism as well. Peritonitis can kill us - because the body has no way to rid itself of that infectious drainage; and it infects the surrounding internal organs as well. In defense our body sends the leukocytes (white cells) to the area of " infectious drainage."
2.) Because there is an active infectious foreign body in the abdominal cavity, our body will attempt to " contain " that poison to protect the other internal organs from damage! These white cells form a material called " fibrin " - which is the sticky stuff in the blood. The fibrin starts to cover the infectious material - and then you have what is called an adhesion!! Now, adhesion means " to stick together." In the abdominal cavity - filled with lots of organs in very close proximity to one another - what do you think will happen? Abdominal organs become attached to one another - everywhere that the infectious drainage touched!
Let's look at that same reaction now using the clotted residual blood following your internal surgery. Blood is found throughout the cavity from any area of surgery or ischemia (areas scraped or cut - causing an area that bleeds). In the cavity this blood dries very fast - very fast!!
Now, 99.9% of surgeons do not clean up the residual blood clots thus leaving them in, around, and under your internal organs. Your body sees this blood as a foriegn body and sends out the leukocytes - and thus forms adhesions wherever these clots of blood are. Because fibrin is sticky, some of these organs become attached to the peritoneum (innermost tissue of the abdominal wall) causing pulling and inflammation at the attachment sites and thus causing pain and eventually a decrease in our physical mobility.
That pain is from the attachment to the peritoneum. Other organ to organ attatchments, if any, don't cause pain; but these other organ to organ attachments can cause: a.) Bowel obstructions; b.) Painfull and difficult bowel movements; c.) If some adhesions attach the bowel to the vaginal wall, these can cause painful intercourse as well.
Dr. Reich uses a procedure called " aqua surgery." He constantly flushes the cavity with ringers lactate (a type of compatible fluid to the human body - like saline); and he finds the fibrin strings and removes them bit by bit - a wonderfull cleanup job (on my video). If someone would have told me he could clean up the cavity as good as he did - and I had NOT seen him do it - I wouldn't believe them!
His theory is that if the cavity is cleaned of the clotted blood, the body's defense system will have less to react to - thus reducing and possibly stopping the reformation of painful and distructive adhesions. He also leaves 3-4 liters of ringers lactate in the abdomen following his surgery. It takes about 48 hours for the ringers lactate to dissipate out of the body (lots of peeing goes on).
I was not shaved, had no urinary catheter in place nor a gastric nasal tube (when I awoke in recovery) following 5 hours of surgery; and I was back in our suite in less than 4 hours following the recovery room. Sure, I had surgery pain; but I also had both ovaries removed and two tumors! One very large tumor had attached to the right side of my colon on the left side of my peritoneum. My colon was totally twisted over and attached! No wonder I hurt and couldn't have a BM on my own!
Dr. Reich will state that his procedure is not a sure thing; but statistically, his lysis patients have shown a great reduction in reforming adhesions following his lysis.
I hope this synopsis has provided you with helpful information. Please educate yourselves to all that you can about adhesion disorder; and then call for a sit-down consultation with your doctor to discuss all areas of adhesion disorder. Many times the doctor is as scared and frustrated as we are - as to what to do for you! So take information to your doctor.
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