I received an email from Ms. Muller the other day – she is very concerned about MRSA, and has seen the ugly side of prosthetics first hand, and has a lawsuit going against her surgeon and the hospital involved.
She had a double mastectomy, and during one of her reconstructive surgeries, to put expanders in to prepare her for her reconstruction, MRSA attached itself to the spacers and she acquired an infection. Sadly, this is not the first time I have heard this story, my close friend got an infection during this same process. MRSA loves to create a biofilm on these prosthetic devices, they must absolutely be watched so closely, and even then it doesn’t always work.
Here is Ms. Muller’s story in the NY Post if you want to read a little more about it. The most important thing to get out of her story is that you must absolutely be so cautious when working with prosthetics, and always ask your doctor what they are doing to keep you safe from infection. This is one big reason why it is so important for hospitals to disclose their infection rates – so you can make an educated decision.
17 responses so far ↓
Angela & Bill // Aug 9, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Hi We are located in Westchester County, New York. My I life partner may have MRSA but we aren’t getting clear answers to our questions from the Doctors…we are just told he has an infection and it is treatable and never told what kind of infection.
I would like it if Nicolle Muller would e-mail us as to how she found out she had MRSA and what test we should ask for to get answers and maybe even her attorney’s name to help us get the answers we need.
Nicolle Muller // Aug 29, 2007 at 10:50 am
Hi Angela and Bill,
I just now saw your response and am writing you back.
The hospitial took a blood test and saw I had MRSA from the hosptial. Please call me or write to me and I will give you my attorneys number.
You must ask to have a blood test, have a Sed rate done. I hope this email finds you both doing better.
Sorry for the delay.
Angela and Bill // Dec 3, 2007 at 5:13 pm
For Nicolle Muller
Hi Nicolle,
My life partner has been on a roller coaster of infections, near death since the last time I wrote to you on line. The doctors as of today have not given any clear answers! For the past six months they have given him so many antibiotics for infection/s? that he now has Cholestatic Hepatitis, and he is so jaundice he is the exact color of French’s mustard!
We have called a few lawyers they have had little interest.
Kindly email us your attorneys name and phone number.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Best Regards to you Angela and Bill
e-Mail: doyouknowcoco@yahoo.com
Liz // Apr 12, 2008 at 1:27 am
Dear Nicolle,
My mother was diagnosed with MRSA today. Her story sounds somewhat like yours.
She had a mascectomy on Jan. 24, and she also had an expander placed. A few days later, she came down with a horrible case of shingles, leaving her with Post Herpetic Neuralgia.
The other day she came to me complaining about the pain, and said she was perspiring on her left side pretty badly. A few moments later, she came to me crying that her breast was leaking!!! I looked and saw a small hole in the place where the incision had been, although healed. A white substance was oozing out of the new wound. I ran to call 911.
She is now in the hospital on IV antiobiotics. Her breast surgeon took the expander out manually, cleaned the area, and said he could not keep the expander in, and took it out as well b/c the whole area was infected so badly. Now, the infection is diagnosed with MRSA.
I found your story by doing several google searches to find info on this disease. I just happened to find you this way.
I would be so appreciative for any input you might have. Thank you for your story!!! I hope you are doing better.
Liz in Texas cottagesllc@aol.com
Pat // Jul 23, 2008 at 8:23 am
Dear Nicolle,
I believe my story mirrors yours. I have had five surgeries following my implant surgery just for infections. I just complete my last surgery and believe another infection has occurred again. I need to find a doctor that will tell me if this is MRSA and can cure the infection. The hospital keeps telling me it is a suture problem but I have my doubts. I would appreciate any help you can give me.
Pat // Jul 23, 2008 at 8:25 am
Nicolle,
Forgot to send e-mail address.
Pat // Jul 23, 2008 at 8:27 am
Nicolle,
Pat’s e-mail address: northplankmurphy@yahoo,com
Melody Pitruzzello // Feb 7, 2010 at 7:45 pm
first of all I don’t what the website part means.
Second your story sounds like exactly like what happened to me. When I told my doctor that I thougtht that I was Health Care affiliated MRSA he said no I was Community Affiliated. There are different criterias for both. I am about to hit my two year anniversary as a breast cancer survivor but I still have problems with the effects of the MRSA, Including the big hole in my chest. And per my doctor it will be at least a year until I can consider having that surgically repaired.
Like I told my husband the other night, ” I just want my body back”.
I would like connections to pursue this further.
Have a great Superbowl Sunday.
Thanks for reading,
Melody Pitruzzello
Ava // May 21, 2010 at 11:15 am
I had a MRSA infection in my left breast, and had to have a partial mastectomy due to the infection. The hospital was able to do a simple swab to determine the infection. I now have a large scar and lost part of my areola. I have to get a breast reconstruction surgery to replace lost breast tissue. I have never found out what caused the infection.
Nancy // Jun 17, 2010 at 11:23 am
Similar to Ava, I SOMEHOW contacted MRSA and it affected my left breast. After a month of antibiotics and incisions to drain it, the doctors decided that it had invaded my breast implant and adhered to that surface. I am recently recovering from surgery to remove the implants and clean the infected area. It is driving me crazy trying to figure out how I got this, especially because I never saw any open wound near my breast. Google searches make this disease seem even scarier. I am wondering if you have had it once, if that makes you more susceptible to getting it again?
Melody Pitruzzello // Aug 16, 2010 at 1:48 pm
I was affected with MRSA back in October of 2009. I had to walk around with a hole in my chest for 7 months cleaning and covering it up. On May 17th of 2010 I just had the hole surgically closed.
from the research I have done this is a topic is not talked about, it comes from Hospitals almost 95% of the time which means it is Healthcare Accuired MRSA. This can be a deadly thing if I was 20 to 30 years older. It still can be deadly now if it was to enter the blood stream. From what I have read lately it is affecting women who are going through reconstructive surgery, because the germs hang on to the artificial devices in the body and then develop what is know as a biofilm to protect themselves. When it is time to bloom , as I call it them all hell breaks loose!
I can go on and on but something needs to be done, and this issue needs to be talked about more on a regular bases. I still have many more surgeries to go through before I am done with this chapter in my book. But beaware when you go to hospitals and doctors offices and the precautions the professionals are taking. You have the right as the patient to ask when the last time the equipment has been cleaned, or when is the last time the nurse washed there hands, make sure there are gloves. This is important to everyone around you as well as you as the patient.
Nicolle // Aug 16, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Thank you all for understanding, how I feel to this day. I sued the hosptial and the surgeon, I had a jury of my “peers”- I lost. i can never have a implant on my left breast becasue there will always be the chance to get MRSA again. No news people want to hear about it at all. It is so important for the world to understand how deadly this bacteria can be! Thank you for all your responses, I pray for all of you, just be careful, ask questions, this is your body not the hospititals nor the doctors. god bless you
barbara silvera // Dec 1, 2010 at 3:35 pm
my mastectomy was on my left breast, i now have this hole about 12 inches in length and there is also an opening to which there is a lot of drainage, i am suppose do chemotherapy and insisted that not until this hole is dealt with, now they are offering me a wound vac should i go ahead and take it
Nicolle // Dec 1, 2010 at 3:53 pm
This is for Barbara,
Melody Pitruzzello // Dec 12, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Barbra,
I am exactly 1year out from my bout with MRSA. After having my reconstruction surgery on my right side from a mastectomy. Two weeks after having the implant put in the infection began. I had a home health care nurse come to the house and help me to learn how to clean keep it clean, I changed the dressing 3xs a day I took vitamins that helped the healing process. I still take the same vitamins to this day. I have heard of people getting the vac but I think it is depends on how much drainage there is. My recommendation is ask a lot of questions, don’t be afraid to do so.
7 months after the wound show signs of being healed I had the wound surgically closed, and yes, it was about 10 inches long by about 4 inches wide. 3 weeks ago i just completed reconstruction surgery for the second time with the TRAM flap procedure, so far every is o.k.
Best of luck to you and happy holidays,
Melody
sue // Dec 21, 2010 at 5:39 pm
i have had mrsa now for 18 months in right breast following breast reduction in 2009, help please still very red and no one seem to have any answers always in pain
Donna // May 3, 2011 at 1:52 pm
I got MRSA after having breast reduciton surgery from the hospital too. My surgeon was very good about taking care of me. It is very painful and awful to go thru. I still have the scar tissue to be removed someday but as far as I know the MRSA is gone! I took antibiotics and did daily packing to drain out the infection.
My issue is we know have a huge bill to pay for cause of the hospitals sloppy care. I still like my surgeon as this was my second reconstruciton surgery ( had abdominoplasty that went fine).
I will continute to fight
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