Heart cath scheduled for Tuesday....

[meganmitch]

So some very good news since my last visit to the site. My husband has been approved for 70% charity to cover the heart cath and valve replacement surgery since he is out of work and we no longer have insurance. What a relief for our finances. He has also been scheduled for a heart cath on Tuesday (the ball is finally rolling). Its been a little over a month i believe since my husband was told he needed AVR. As bad as it may sound, we are hoping the aortic stenosis shows to be as bad with the heart cath procedure just so he can get the surgery sooner rather than later. The doctor is so busy with surgerys right now that we were told his surgery date will be determined by how severe his blockage is compared to the other patients waiting. I was wondering if anyone had a heart cath show their case to be less severe than previously thought? Is that possible?

 

[Orangebrittainy]

Wish I could help, my Cath was the day before my surgery. I hope things go "well" for you!

 

[carolinemc]

When I had my cath done, to show how clear the arteries were. i felt lucky. Good luck to you. i know how it feels to feel sick all the time and want the surgery done to feel better. Hang in there.

 

[Greg a]

Mitch's procedure is noted on calendar and our thoughts and prayers are with you ...it is great that the financial burden is no longer a worry

So some very good news since my last visit to the site. My husband has been approved for 70% charity to cover the heart cath and valve replacement surgery since he is out of work and we no longer have insurance. What a relief for our finances. He has also been scheduled for a heart cath on Tuesday (the ball is finally rolling). Its been a little over a month i believe since my husband was told he needed AVR. As bad as it may sound, we are hoping the aortic stenosis shows to be as bad with the heart cath procedure just so he can get the surgery sooner rather than later. The doctor is so busy with surgerys right now that we were told his surgery date will be determined by how severe his blockage is compared to the other patients waiting. I was wondering if anyone had a heart cath show their case to be less severe than previously thought? Is that possible?

 

[Eva]

My cath procedure was just to check on the arteries; and luckily they were all clear.

Good luck to both of you.

 

[Johan]

JeepnOut has just been spared immediate surgery with catherization revealing a much lager valve opening.

http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?36481-6-Days-to-go.&p=474869#post474869

 

[Mentu]

The direct measurements made during a heart cath are much more accurate than those made via echocardiogram. It does happen that the heart cath measurement can show the valve area to be larger but it can also show that the are is actually smaller. The heart cath will also provide direct information about arterial health which can also effect the timing and the extent of surgery. Just before my AVR, the last echocardiogram indicated an area of .75 cm2. My Cardio could not believe the valve had degraded that fast and ordered a heart cath which he felt sure would show a larger opening. The heart cath, however, showed the area was .74 cm2 or essentially the same. The quality of the echocardiogram is influenced much more by the skill of the technician in making the test and of the analysis drawn from it. Most likely, the heart cath measurement will be very similar. Take care.

Larry