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X-ray Shows Three Clips On Right Tube. Should I Remove?
Question: I had exploratory surgery due to severe pain during intercourse and sciatica for ten years and had a filshie clip removed as it had migrated into the left peritoneum wall and was covered in cysts and adhesions. I had two tubal ligations and had X-rays done the other day which show the other three clips on the right side of my right tube where my stomach is always swollen. They do not present on ultrasound. Should they be removed?
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Generally such clips are designed to be left in the human body for ever. The material which they are made of (titanium) usually does not irritate surrounding tissues and there is no need to remove them. Moreover, sometimes it is very hard to find and remove such clip due to abdominal adhesions and scar tissues. So such surgery can cause more side effects than help.
Such clip will be visible on the X-rays (its a peace of metal). And it will be invisible for the ultrasound. This is very normal thing.
The point is to find out if this clip is a real problem. It can be just a coincidence that in this area your stomach is swollen. And the reason might be other than this clip.
Do you have any abdominal pain in that area? Any cramps? Nausea, vomiting? Any diarrhea or constipation, any blood in stool? Is the pain located in the area where scar is?
As you have had few abdominal surgeries and endometriosis history, there is a lot of adhesions in your abdominal cavity. This adhesions can cause your swollen abdomen due to partial bowels obstruction. That is why, before any decision about this clip, you should have abdominal CT with oral contrast (enteroclysis) and colonoscopy performed. Depending of the results of this tests, diagnostic laparoscopy might be necessary.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards
Thank you for the query.
Generally such clips are designed to be left in the human body for ever. The material which they are made of (titanium) usually does not irritate surrounding tissues and there is no need to remove them. Moreover, sometimes it is very hard to find and remove such clip due to abdominal adhesions and scar tissues. So such surgery can cause more side effects than help.
Such clip will be visible on the X-rays (its a peace of metal). And it will be invisible for the ultrasound. This is very normal thing.
The point is to find out if this clip is a real problem. It can be just a coincidence that in this area your stomach is swollen. And the reason might be other than this clip.
Do you have any abdominal pain in that area? Any cramps? Nausea, vomiting? Any diarrhea or constipation, any blood in stool? Is the pain located in the area where scar is?
As you have had few abdominal surgeries and endometriosis history, there is a lot of adhesions in your abdominal cavity. This adhesions can cause your swollen abdomen due to partial bowels obstruction. That is why, before any decision about this clip, you should have abdominal CT with oral contrast (enteroclysis) and colonoscopy performed. Depending of the results of this tests, diagnostic laparoscopy might be necessary.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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