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bookjp

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
166
Location
Flint,Michigan
This is truly getting harder and harder for me to comprehend.I went to the hospital on the 5th for my final test and blood work.Pass everything with flying colors.Pulmonary test,ekg,chest x-ray all good.So after the test I met with the surgeon to discuss the surgery on the 11th.First off I told him I might have a problem with a tooth but its feeling better now(been taking amoxicillin)for three days.Than he ask me if I quit smoking I told him I'm almost there superbowl I had a relapse so now the surgeries off till march 11th.Now comes the bad part what I thought was a valve replacement and a patch on aneurysm turns out to be a whole lot more.He's talking about valve a new aortic root and if he has to go in the aortic arch what he's talking about is something called hypothermic circulatory arrest.That where your body temperature is lowered to 64 degrees and all your circulation is stopped.They then have up to 60 minutes to fix the arch he says.Has anyone ever heard or had this procedure done.For the last day and a half since he told me I think I've been in shock.My wife can barely look at me before bursting out in tears.I still have no symptoms at all.
 
I think that the procedure is fairly common. How long do they want you to have not smoked before surgery?
 
ccummins said:
I think that the procedure is fairly common. How long do they want you to have not smoked before surgery?
Click to expand...
He told me a minimum of four weeks but basically he told me I can't smoke again.It's tough with the worry over the operation and all but after smoking for forty years if I make it through this operation I'm all done!!!
 
That is called the Bentall procedure. If you have an aneurysm beyond the aortic root, that is often the procedure used. But let's get back to the smoking. You gotta quit...that's all there is to it. My surgeon suggested (i.e. insisted) that I do not smoke for at least 8 weeks before the surgery. It just so happened that I got my date for surgery approximately 8 weeks in advance. :D

I know it's hard, but your lungs need to be functioning well when you get out of surgery to avoid complications. Oh yeah...get your tooth fixed too. :D As soon as I got my surgery date I had 2 cracked fillings repaired, one root canal, and a crown on one tooth. Then I had an "emergency" root canal done on the crowned tooth 6 days before surgery because I was still having pain. They don't want any chance of bacteria entering your bloodstream from your mouth...especially since you will be intubated and on a ventilator during and shortly after your surgery.

I know it's frustrating, and with the stress of the surgery it made me want to smoke even more. But I had a friend that gave me some leftover Nicotrol Inhalers she had and I used them to quit (but they are still prescription). Go get the nicotine patch, gum, or lozenges and tough it out until surgery. If you're like me you definitely won't feel like smoking for awhile after surgery. I'm still off of the cigarettes but I have to admit I occasionally use smokeless tobacco (especially when I'm playing golf).
 
HCA is the standard protocol for doing surgery of the Aortic Arch. Did you ask him how many of these procedures he has performed? and what were his results?

Surgery of the Aortic Arch is another step up the ladder of OHS. You definitely want someone who has 'been there, done that', the more the better. I'm not sure what a good number would be.

Some of the Top Aorta Surgeons have been mentioned in posts in the BAV and Connective Tissue Forum. Some of the names I recall are Dr. William Ryan in Dallas, Dr. Coselli at Texas Heart Inst., Dr. Kouchoukos (one of the World's Best) in Missouri, Dr. Sundt at the Mayo Clinic in MN.

Do a VR.com 'Search' (see the Blue Line at the top of the page) for "hyperthermic" and "Bentall" and you will find links to posts discussing these topics.

You Definitely want to get all of these issues Fixed in ONE operation. The KEY is to have a Surgeon who has all the right skills and experience.

'AL Capshaw'
 
I had it done when my dissection occured. I was a smoker at the time, but it was an emergency surgery, so smoking or not, it was still carried out.
 
I forgot to mention two other points:

Teeth - You need to have ALL of your Dental issues taken care of BEFORE surgery because of the risk of endocarditis for up to 6 months following surgery. Bacteria from the mouth entering the blood stream is a High Risk cause of Bacterial Endocarditis and you will be urged NOT to have any Dental Procedures performed for 6 months following surgery.

Symptoms / Pain - Few people with Aortic Aneurisms feel any pain UNTIL their aorta begins to disect or rupture. The Mortality Rate for a Ruptured or Disected Aorta is Very High (around 95% I think).

Our moderator Ross is one of Very Few Survivors of an Anotic Disection. Ask him about his experience. Trust Me, You do NOT want to go there! If you are still skeptical, ask your Doctors for more information about Aortic Disection and Rupture.

'AL Capshaw'
 
You may want to check out Harleygirl's posts. She had this same procedure done. She isn't on here very much any more but if you pm her, she might answer any questions you have. Also, I think Seth, who is a newer member on here had it done as well.

Take your Dr.'s advise...quit smoking (best reason you'll ever have), and definitely get any teeth issues fixed.

Good luck, you'll be fine.

Kim
 
I am so sorry for your stress. I changed the date on the calendar and stick with us to help you through this- you can do it!
 
Bookjp...don't have any experience with this problem.....but just wanted to say I'm sorry for this set back. Waiting is horrible...I think even worse for the spouse and family. Best wishes and you are both in my prayers.
 
I know it's terribly upsetting to have the surgery postponed, but it is probably for the best. You want your lungs in the very best condition they can be before OHS. Weaning from the ventilator is a primary concern following a lengthy surgery, and with good lung function, you're more likely to get off quickly.
Best wishes and try to keep a positive attitude. Your wife might want to join the forum too and ask any questions or discuss any concerns she may have.
 
Maybe this is for the best, to have all the rest of your organs ready. For now, you have to deal with the quitting smoking part. Hope everything works out. Best wishes.
 
Damn Book!
Sorry to hear about the delay. I quit smoking a long time ago but in the last year, I started ,slowly at first, getting back into it with my band (many of them smoke). I'm glad this AVR is going to prevent me from starting up again but man I could really use a butt right now to deal with my nerves.
Take the extra time to get past the hump of quitting - there is one, I promise. Once you get past that, you'll feel much better and your nerves and your body will be in much better shape.
Good luck.
David
 
Sorry for the set back. Hope you can give up the smoking, all the best.
 
It sounds like the surgery I'm supposed to be having. Kind of freaky, I know. I was really freaked out at first. Now I just do my best to put it out of my mind and trust in God. That's all I can really do...other than freak out 24/7, which won't help, lol. I do have symptoms (which, according to one surgeon--who I WON'T be using--is all in my head). But fortunately my symptoms are a lot better now that my pregnancy is over.

As a side note, all this talk about getting endo from cracked teeth is worrying me. I have cracked teeth. I told all my docs about them, and that I thought I had a tooth infection PRIOR to my c-section. They did nothing, other than give me some antibiotics during the surgery (a week AFTER I first mentioned it). Now I strongly suspect I have the beginnings of endo, and the chest xray and white blood count don't support that. Don't know how to get them to take me seriously. *sigh*

Anyway, I wish you luck quitting smoking, and I hope your surgery goes well. Just remind your wife that even though the surgery sounds scary, odds are you'll come through it fine. Really, considering what they're doing to you, the odds aren't bad. Most simple surgeries have a mortality rate of at least 1% (c-sections do), so a 5% mortality rate in the face of such a serious surgery isn't that bad, especially taking into account that those rates include a lot of really sick, old people getting the surgery. And my doc said those figures are outdated, and your odds are especially better if you're younger and getting the surgery done at a really good hospital. So your odds are very good, in reality. Still a scary thing, but it could be a lot worse. I still wish I had no bum valve and a descending aneurysm instead...I'd much prefer a stent graft through my femoral artery. ;-)
 
It sounds like the surgery I'm supposed to be having. Kind of freaky, I know. I was really freaked out at first. Now I just do my best to put it out of my mind and trust in God. That's all I can really do...other than freak out 24/7, which won't help, lol. I do have symptoms (which, according to one surgeon--who I WON'T be using--is all in my head). But fortunately my symptoms are a lot better now that my pregnancy is over.

As a side note, all this talk about getting endo from cracked teeth is worrying me. I have cracked teeth. I told all my docs about them, and that I thought I had a tooth infection PRIOR to my c-section. They did nothing, other than give me some antibiotics during the surgery (a week AFTER I first mentioned it). Now I strongly suspect I have the beginnings of endo, and the chest xray and white blood count don't support that. Don't know how to get them to take me seriously. *sigh*

Anyway, I wish you luck quitting smoking, and I hope your surgery goes well. Just remind your wife that even though the surgery sounds scary, odds are you'll come through it fine. Really, considering what they're doing to you, the odds aren't bad. Most simple surgeries have a mortality rate of at least 1% (c-sections do), so a 5% mortality rate in the face of such a serious surgery isn't that bad, especially taking into account that those rates include a lot of really sick, old people getting the surgery. And my doc said those figures are outdated, and your odds are especially better if you're younger and getting the surgery done at a really good hospital. So your odds are very good, in reality. Still a scary thing, but it could be a lot worse. I still wish I had no bum valve and a descending aneurysm instead...I'd much prefer a stent graft through my femoral artery. ;-)
 
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