Here we go again - update

[Tbone]

Well I got my 2nd catheter done since April 23rd. I laid very, very still for 7 1/2 hours got up, walked the halls, went to the bathroom & blood all over the place. Yes, I sprung a major leak. I then had to lay down for an additional 6hrs, but I made it 8 hours to be safe, no leaks.

I am now home awaiting a call from the Cleveland Clinic for an appointment with the surgeon to talk about surgery. When I know something I will let you know. For those of you who followed my last thread you know what is going on. For those of you who didn't check the pre-surgery thread titled Here we go again -or- happy, happy joy, joy

 

[Bina]

I wasn't walking any halls after my cath....too dizzy, low bp, they kept me in bed.
T-Bone, you hang in there.

 

[Maryka]

Oh, boy! My cath (first one ever) was quite uneventful. If I were ever have one again, however, I would have anticoagulants to contend with. SO SORRY to hear of your situation. I am keeping you in my prayers!

 

[Karlynn]

Thanks for keeping us posted! We're here waiting with you!

 

[Ross]

[ link ]

 

[dl_mooney]

When I had my Cath. the Dr. used a thing called Angioseal on the Artery in my right groin area. Only had to be still in bed for about a couple of hours. No problems.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

You are the FIRST member I am aware of who had a Serious Bleed following a Catheterization. Did the Cardio say WHY it happened? What protocol did they use to close the wound and prevent (unsuccessfully) leakage?

Was the catheter inserted into an Artery or a Vein?

If I were you, I would want to know how many cath's this Cardiologist performs per year and how much experience the Recovery Nurse / Technician had.

FYI, I saw an "Event Rate" posted in our Hospital's Lab which was 1 per 1000.

Where (what Hospital) was your procedure performed at?

 

[Ross]

You are the FIRST member I am aware of who had a Serious Bleed following a Catheterization. Did the Cardio say WHY it happened? What protocol did they use to close the wound and prevent (unsuccessfully) leakage?

Was the catheter inserted into an Artery or a Vein?

If I were you, I would want to know how many cath's this Cardiologist performs per year and how much experience the Recovery Nurse / Technician had.

FYI, I saw an "Event Rate" posted in our Hospital's Lab which was 1 per 1000.

Where (what Hospital) was your procedure performed at?

Hope you don't mind me answering for him.

Arteries

He had just had a cath not long ago where they went in 4 different places. My guess is, they used the exact same area that had not fully healed from the first cath, hence the bleeding.

This time, one in the groin and one in the neck.

The Caths, both of them, performed at the Cleveland Clinic.

I'm honestly surprised that they didn't use a angioseal on the femoral puncture.

 

[Mary]

Sorry to read this, Tbone. We'll be waiting for an update, and hope that everything goes well.

 

[skeptic49]

Sorry to read about the bumps with the cath. Hope all goes better from now on.

Best wishes,

Jim

 

[COLLEEN S]

Ditto what Al said.

 

[hall]

Sorry you had such a bad time. Hope you hear from the clinic soon. Let us know.

 

[Tbone]

You are the FIRST member I am aware of who had a Serious Bleed following a Catheterization. Did the Cardio say WHY it happened? What protocol did they use to close the wound and prevent (unsuccessfully) leakage?

If I were you, I would want to know how many cath's this Cardiologist performs per year and how much experience the Recovery Nurse / Technician had.

FYI, I saw an "Event Rate" posted in our Hospital's Lab which was 1 per 1000.
Was the catheter inserted into an Artery or a Vein?


Where (what Hospital) was your procedure performed at?

Thanks Ross

This is the first problem I ever had. Compard to national statistics I am more than happy.

I am still awaiting for an OK from my insurance for the consult. The longer this goes on the more nervous I get.

 

[njean]

Sorry to hear of your post-cath problems T-Bone!

I guess I've always been very lucky that something like this has never happened to me as many times as I've had caths in my lifetime. And I'll never scoff again at having to lay immobile for 8 hrs. after the cath!!

Good luck with everything & we'll be here for you!

 

[Nancy]

Well, there is always the possibility of major bleeding with a cath, and that is the reason they are so very careful to keep the person absolutely still until the danger time is passed.

But you did say that you did lay very still for a long time, and then got up to go to the bathroom. Was there any straining involved with the bathroom time?

My gut feeling is that the wound being in the groin area, opened back up with all the bending and sitting positions of going to the bathroom, if it was a sitting situation. If not, then the walking movements or bending to get up from the bed and then back down again did it.

Once, when Joe had his gallbladder out, the surgeon nicked his liver and caused a total bleedout, and he almost lost his life. It finally stopped oozing blood, and he was on the way to healing, when in came his nurse and decided that he needed to get up and get walking. Just the act of using his stomach muscles to get up out of bed (she didn't help him to the walker), opened up the wound again, and he was flat on his back with transfusions for several days.

I fired that nurse, and asked for male nurses who were able to lift him up to eliminate the use of his stomach muscles, if he needed to get out of bed.

Healing time is so important.

 

[Tbone]

Well, there is always the possibility of major bleeding with a cath, and that is the reason they are so very careful to keep the person absolutely still until the danger time is passed.

But you did say that you did lay very still for a long time, and then got up to go to the bathroom. Was there any straining involved with the bathroom time?

Healing time is so important.

Yes I was sitting down to go number two when it happened.

 

[Nancy]

Even that kind of strain was too much. But what could you do?? You are fortunate that all is well now. I'm sorry you had to go through that experience.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

What did you do when you started to bleed?

How did you summon help?

How was the bleeding stopped to keep you from passing out?

(Sorry, "Curious Minds want to Know"...

 

[barb]

I too had complications with my cath done at the CC on 6-24. While still on the table, as they tried to place a plug in the artery, I bled internally. Extremely painful in the first place and then of course they needed to apply more pressure so they ended up kind of knocking me out for a short time and kept me overnight. The pain from the bleeding lasted for a week after. The doctor came to me after and told me that he thought that part of the problem was that the one nurse actually applied too much pressure. It was not a fun experience!

I did have my surgery 7-7 at the CC with Dr. Svensson. I hope you hear from your surgeon very soon and are able to get this behind you. I know for me, the bad cath experience made me even more anxious about anticipating surgery. Fortunately everything went smoothly surrounding the surgery and I pray the same for you. CC is excellent. It is just hard to have something like this happen.

Barb

 

[Tbone]

What did you do when you started to bleed?

How did you summon help?

How was the bleeding stopped to keep you from passing out?

(Sorry, "Curious Minds want to Know"...

1.) I finished going to the bathroom real quick (paperwork)

2.) I pressed the buzzer in the bathroom for immediate help.

3.) I still had the dressing on, but it was quickly removed, pressure applied, and another pressure pack put on. (I had walked to by bed holding a towel as not to leak on the floor)