Joan Ippolite
Joan Ippolite is an exceptionally strong woman and mother who is a true survivor. Joan has battled over 40 urinary tract infections, 5 urosepsis episodes/hospitalizations and 3 major surgeries with numerous hospitalizations, sub-acute rehab stays and long term care facility stays over a 6 year period. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) Today, Joan is recovering from the 3rd surgery. She is medically stable at an outstanding long term care facility hoping to enjoy more of her golden years! Her superb infectious disease physicians, colorectal surgeon, urologists and hospital and long term care medical professionals have been exceptional and instrumental in saving her life during multiple urosepsis episodes and execution of complex urinary tract infections care and treatment plans!
Joan’s Story:
Joan commenced having frequent recurrent urinary tract infections over a 3 year period which were difficult to diagnose as the bacteria identified in urine cultures was usually different. CT, MRI and urodynamics studies revealed the root cause – a colovesical fistula, (Connection between the bladder and bowel) that needed to be removed.
Joan’s pre-admission surgical tests revealed a stage 0 – colon cancer mass which was removed. Joan then had major surgery for removal of the colovesical fistula at a NJ hospital. Shortly after discharge, she was re-admitted back into the NJ Hospital with urosepsis. She was treated with antibiotics; however she returned to the hospital several times with additional urinary tract infections and urosepsis.
Joan transferred from the NJ Hospital to a Philadelphia hospital for assessment/treatment. The Philadelphia hospital performed extensive assessment/tests and determined root cause of most recent urosepsis episodes was a post-surgery complication from the colovesical fistula removal surgery at the NJ hospital. (Sepsis and Surgery) They discovered two holes existed at the bowel reconnection point causing stool to drop into her pelvis. (Sepsis and Perforated Bowel) This resulted in perisacral abscesses and contributed to numerous post-surgery infections, urosepsis as well as bladder nerve damage resulting in a permanent foley catheter. (Sepsis and Invasive Devices) The Philadelphia hospital placed a drain to remove the blood and stool out of her pelvis/perisacral areas. A top PA colorectal surgeon then performed emergency surgery to place a permanent diverting colostomy to stop the stool from continuing to drop into the pelvis causing perisacral abscesses which saved her life. Surgery was successful with a decrease; but not elimination of urinary tract infections.
The PA urologists have been trying to get her bladder to work again over the years; however once bladder nerves are damaged, this is difficult. The Foley catheter has been problematic at best and has contributed to additional urinary tract infections and her bladder remains very inflamed. In 2019, she had surgery by a Top NJ urologist at a NJ hospital to place temporary stents due to sediment build up causing blockages; the stents were later removed. In March 2020; she had surgery by a top PA urology reconstruction surgeon at a Philadelphia hospital who performed surgery to place a suprapubic catheter and removed the Foley catheter in an attempt to reduce number of urinary tract infections/complications. Joan is currently in recovery at a long term care facility.
We love her very much!
Source: Angela Rehmus, daughter (Referred by Dr. Cindy Hou)
