It's a postchemo RPLND for me

[rosewoodblues]

Davie,

I have just gotten through my RPLND and though it was not post chemo I can tell you that the surgery for me was worth it. Sounds like with an 8 inch incision that they are only going after the mass and not a full RPLND, true?
My RPLND was a full incision (sternum to well below belly button) and they had me up and around the first morning after surgery. The first night after the surgey even amid the drug induced haze i could tell that my rt side was tingly and a bit numb from all the action that was done inside. This subsided by the next morning. I had an epidural (around T5) as well as a dialodid button drip (4 mg every 8 minutes as needed). No food for the first 2-3 days (mine took a bit longer with intestinal problems) and the first bit of food was painful to eat for me. I got out of the hospital exactly 7 days after surgery and now am on day lucky number 13. I am really mobile now and the pain is a dull ache for the most part. I can walk anywhere just no heavy lifting, no running, jogging, etc. As well no s#x for a few more weeks (so they say).
Speaking of the intimate of intimates, there is the risk of retrograde ejaculate with a PRLND procedure however as this was explained to me the nerves center to this are predominantly on the left side so based on the side of your operation this can be less of a risk. As well this problem can correct itself in time if the nerve is not too badly damamged.

I would say move around as much as you can! if you can try to walk afterwards do it. It will be a bit painful but the movement will help every bit of you heal.

I hope this helps out a bit and I can be more specific if you like just let me know. I am pulling for the best for you!

cheers,
ken;

[Don]

I would definetly agree with taking it out when it is smaller .... I had my RPLND after chemo and salvage chemo and had a huge tumor removed... Due to the size and complexity of my surgery I was under the knife for 14 hours and lost a kidney in the process. Take the B*GGER out and then,as you said . you can close that chapter of your life and move on.... Best of luck to You .......BE WELL!!!!!! DON

[dadmo]

My son had post chemo RPLND and it took a very skilled surgeon 7 hours. His operation was done by doctor Dr. Sheinfeld who performs more then 100 a year.
At first glance it may seem unlucky but the RPLND may save your life. Luck might be a matter of perspective.

[Davie]

I'm being treated in the UK.

There's approximately 100 RPLNDs done in the UK each year - all of them post chemotherapy.

With a population of 60 million, I guess that make me unlucky!

Davie

[retroperitommy]

what hospital are you at?

message to the original poster: can you let us know which hospital you are at?

I am reading about how few RPLND's are performed at most institutions due to the rarity of the condition.

[Chris'Mom]

My sons RPLND lasted about 3 and a half hours for residual teratoma that was showing up after four rounds of chemo...large incision and one week in Sloan Kettering...he had nerve sparring....and everything is great....good luck with everything...Mary Ellen

[Fish]

An RPLND is big surgery, but you should do just fine. Mine took about 5 hours, but that was in 1988, things have improved a bit since then. Back to work in 2 weeks might be rushing it a little. You do not want to over do it or tear your incision. I was too active an ended up with a hernia at the incision that eventually had to be repaired. So give yourself time to heal. It can take several months to fully regain your strength and endurance after this kind of operation. I'm glad your doc has done a lot of these procedures. Hopefull the tumor will be just scar tissue. Make sure you let us know how things go.

Best wishes.

[Ras Joe]

Who's your surgeon? It sounds like you are in good hands. I was my doctor's first, he spared the nerves and everything works fine. It is a big operation, but as you will see, many of us have been through it and are alive and well. Plus, you get to add to your cool scar collection.

[IowaBrian]

No RPLND for me but many will post.... just wanted to wish you good luck with it and keep us posted.
Good Luck
brian

[Davie]

I'll give you a potted history to date first of all.

Diagnosed with TC on 7th March this year (embyonal, chorio, seminoma and teratoma), with 3 cm RP mass. AFP was about 550, and bHCG about 2600. Completed 3xBEP and markers normalised in a manner consistent with a good response to chemotherapy.

After chemotherapy my mass had shrunk to about 2 cm, so they kept it under surveillance for 3 months to make sure that it wasn't just necrotic tissue that was going to dissapear over time.

Well, that brings us to today. The mass has now shrunk to 1.2 cm, but the CT scan revealed that there was a less dense patch in the middle, and they believed it was likely becoming cystic with residual mature teratoma. They did consider leaving it another 3 months to see if it shrunk further, but they told me the best option was to now take it out.

This was for two reasons. Firstly, if it was turning cystic, the operation would be much more difficult if the mass grew much larger in 3 months time, and secondly, in the unlikley event any live cancer cells remain at this stage they are most likely to be in the centre of the mass, and therefore the removal of the mass could be curative in its own right.

Now onto the operation itself. I have many concerns about this surgery given it is very invasive. Now, I don't know if the surgeon was just going easy on me, but what he told me really did allay my fears.

The surgeon has done nearly 400 postchemo RPLNDs and told me to forget everything I've read on the internet about 6 hour operations, as he'll have the mass out in 20 minutes. He'll poke around everywhere and remove anything as necessary, then close me up. He illustrated the size of the incision, which seemed to me about 8 inches.

I queried this having read the stuff on the internet, and he explained that in some cases with a large mass the incisions and surgery would be a lot larger and longer respectively, but with only a half inch of residual mass, it was going to be very straight forward surgery. I'd also be home after 4-5 days and if I have a desk job could possibly return after 2 weeks. He also said with such a small mass nerve sparing should not be an issue and any complications were unlikely.

How does this compare with those of you who've had RPLNDs for removal of a small mass?

I was always really worried about the possibility of a RPLND, and whilst I still am, I just want the b*gger out now. If they find anything untoward then the surgery will be highly beneficial, and if they don't then at least I know in my mind that there's no cancer left in the node.

I'm hoping this surgery will give me a degree of closure on this very difficult patch of my life.

Davie