Question on Heart Cath

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ponytaila1a

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 7, 2008
Messages
429
Location
FLORIDA
I recently went for pap and doc said I had a heart murmur (she said you've probably been told that before, I had not! Now a series of tests, cardio, etc
Am having my first heart cath tomorrow and they plan to use a "star closure"
Has anyone heard of this. I only read of pressure closures????
 
Welcome and good luck on the cath. We look forward to hearing all good results.
 
Thanks to all for the positive posts.
Thanks especially to Ross for the positive response. I could not get out of my mind that I was the "first" one to have the closure. Pictured infection......difficulty walking....and much more.
 
Well you won't be running races for a day or two, but it beats laying flat on your back for 6 hours afterwards unable to move at all. I'm sure you'll still be sore, but it's not that bad.
 
Thanks for the Ativan comment. I 've had it before and it definitely relaxes me.
Also.....Ross states I won't be running marathons the next day.......but wondering how long it actually is before I feel like walking around the block.......or going shopping.
 
ponytaila1a said:
Thanks for the Ativan comment. I 've had it before and it definitely relaxes me.
Also.....Ross states I won't be running marathons the next day.......but wondering how long it actually is before I feel like walking around the block.......or going shopping.
Click to expand...

I had a cath two weeks ago. I was pretty much 100% in a week, but I felt pretty good at day three. Good luck.

Kay
 
Has anyone had the "minimal invasive" repair. Small incision in the side.....not open chest? My doc says it's an option in some cases.....but I feel that the number of cases is very low??
 
Jim......I notice that you are "waiting". I feel pushed to have surgery with comments such as "sudden death" and "95% are dead within threee years without it. I have leakage in the mitral valve. Should someone be telling me the "per cent" of the leakage.
All I get is "schedule the surg the sooner the better". You don't have any damage yet.
Get it done now before any damage is done. I have no symptoms. Was active until the dx. couch potato now
 
ponytaila1a said:
Has anyone had the "minimal invasive" repair. Small incision in the side.....not open chest? My doc says it's an option in some cases.....but I feel that the number of cases is very low??
Click to expand...

You may want to talk with Dr. Petracek at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. He does 200 "minimally invasive thoracotomy procedures" per year. Some of our members have used his services, including one lady who flew from the West Coast to have him do her operation.

Google his name and you will find links to his website and a video of one of his procedures.

His staff will likely schedule an appointment if you are interested and send in copies of your latest Test Results and Videos (Echocardiograms, Heart Cath / Angiogram, TEE, etc.)
 
Welcome to our world! Glad you could join us. I have had four caths since 2000. Two of them were last year, and they were with plugs or what you call the "star closure' It was a piece of cake compared to my first two. I felt good enough to walk within a few days.

Yes, I believe they will give you Activan. Nice relaxing drug, but you can still move, if they need you too. Good luck!
 
First I hope Ponytail's cath is completed with no problems.
I assume we are referring to the collagen plug and that brings back some awful memories.
In 2002 my wife was a little uneasy about her heart, so she had a stress test.
Then after that was done she reluctantly agreed to have a cath done as a precaution. The cath went fine EXCEPT when the plug was inserted it was forced too deep and totally blocked her artery. This called for emergency surgery to repair the artery. When she was informed of this her B/P shot up over 220, and she suffered a mild heart attack. After recovering she was put on a beta-blocker to protect her heart, but that triggered something in her immune system which caused a bad case of psoriasis which is something she never had prior to all this.
I'm glad to report she is still doing quite well today, but those memories still linger with me.
So much for teaching hospitals.

Rich
 
:mad:Rich,

I'm sorry your wife had such a hard time that led to such complications. I guess I was just lucky.

In hindsight, I probably should have said The plug was a piece of cake, for me, and that others could have a difference experience based on their own bodies, who prefromed the cath, etc. That is probably true of all the procedures we have done,meds we take and including valve replacement and recovery.

I myself have issues with automatic blood pressure cuffs when I'm in the hospital or ER, in that they always malfunction! :( and try to squeeze the heck out of my arm, leaving a ring of bruises around my arm. :mad: I know this is not everyones experience. Caths have never been an issue for me.
 
Thanks Lorraine,
I had no problem back then with mine either, of course it was done the old way, and laying on your back all those hours wasn't fun.
I guess there is always a downside to everything.
Rich
 
Lorraine said:
In hindsight, I probably should have said The plug was a piece of cake, for me, and that others could have a difference experience based on their own bodies, who prefromed the cath, etc.
Click to expand...

I'd like to add something for those members who need caths and have to have pressure rather than a plug. The plug sounds so much easier that they may be bumming that they have to have pressure. Well, I had pressure and it wasn't bad!

I didn't have to lie totally flat; I was a little elevated and easily did some crossword puzzles and read magazines. I could have watched TV if I had wanted to.

So don't be discouraged if you have pressure scheduled; it's another excuse for a nap!
 
Rich said:
First I hope Ponytail's cath is completed with no problems.
I assume we are referring to the collagen plug and that brings back some awful memories.
In 2002 my wife was a little uneasy about her heart, so she had a stress test.
Then after that was done she reluctantly agreed to have a cath done as a precaution. The cath went fine EXCEPT when the plug was inserted it was forced too deep and totally blocked her artery. This called for emergency surgery to repair the artery. When she was informed of this her B/P shot up over 220, and she suffered a mild heart attack. After recovering she was put on a beta-blocker to protect her heart, but that triggered something in her immune system which caused a bad case of psoriasis which is something she never had prior to all this.
I'm glad to report she is still doing quite well today, but those memories still linger with me.
So much for teaching hospitals.

Rich
Click to expand...

Sorry your wife suffered this unfortunate outcome.

Sounds like the antithesis of the usual VR.com recommendation to "Find a Doctor with LOTS of Experience doing the Procedure YOU require".

Some time ago, I saw a posting that the 'event rate' at my Local Hospital's Cath Lab was 1 in 1000 which I took as a Glowing Report.
 
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