Questions for Cardiac Surgeons

[ALCapshaw2]

Interesting report on Aortic Disection from Wikipedia Nancy.

Natural history

The risk of death is high in untreated aortic dissection. While the risk is highest in the first 24 hours of the event, those that survive the initial event still have an elevated mortality compared to age- and sex-matched controls.


Risk of death in untreated aortic dissection

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25% in first 24 hours
50% in first week
75% in first month
90% in first year

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I was thinking 90% in the Short Term but that appears not to be the case from this chart on Wikipedia.

 

[Lynlw]

Interesting report on Aortic Disection from Wikipedia Nancy.

Natural history

The risk of death is high in untreated aortic dissection. While the risk is highest in the first 24 hours of the event, those that survive the initial event still have an elevated mortality compared to age- and sex-matched controls.


Risk of death in untreated aortic dissection

----------------------------------------------------------------

25% in first 24 hours
50% in first week
75% in first month
90% in first year

==============

I was thinking 90% in the Short Term but that appears not to be the case from this chart on Wikipedia.

I think you are probably thinking of a disection that ruptured, which is a very high mortality rate, but a discection that just stays between the layers of the aorta can be chronic and not an ER.

 

[Ross]

I think you are probably thinking of a disection that ruptured, which is a very high mortality rate, but a discection that just stays between the layers of the aorta can be chronic and not an ER.

Exactly. If you have a full blown rupture, such as I, and you don't die immediately, your chance of survival is only 3 to 5%.

 

[COLLEEN S]

This is to the person who said "surgeons are busy and you dont want to waste their time". I have come to learn that I am my own best advocate, I am gonna go in there, ask away, take notes, and take names. And I aint leavin till I have all my questions, however
"time wasting" they may be. I went in with a list of questions and my surgeon answered most of them before I asked them. He didnt even blink an eye and encouraged me to ask.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hi CBD, welcome! Love your questions. I think I had almost as many in mind but never set them all down on paper. You won't need all those questions since my guess is that he'll answer a lot of them before you even pull out your paper. But do bring the paper!!! and a pen! check them off, write your answers... take as much time as you want. Don't trust your memory -- there is so much information to process.

I only had one meeting with my surgeon (and had waited 3 years for timing of the surgery to be right, so I was very excited and anxious to meet him). After he kept my husband and I waiting for 90 minutes (hey, someone else needed him in surgery!) he was deeply apologetic and let us have as long of an appointment as we wanted. I kinda wished I'd written down all those questions!!

It was definitely time for my surgery, so I did not have any of those "what can I do while I'm waiting" questions (and my cardio and this fine group of people here had answered most of those quesitons for me). For me, I just wanted to see who this man was who would be holding my heart in his hands. Did I like him, did I trust him, was he kind? The rest is kind of just information to tide us over until that inevitable moment when we release ourselves to their care. Even armed with all your answers, there will be other things you will have had no idea to even ask that you will want or need to know as the journey unfolds. (those questions can be answered by the physician's assistant in the surgeon's office. Find out who you can call later when you have more questions. These people are highly trained and usually very nice and helpful)

You are going to give up a little of yourself for awhile. If you are lucky, like most of us, you will be incredibly amazed at how fast you recover. You will learn patience.. you will be forced to learn it! There is just no rushing this stuff. And it's okay, because while you are realizing this patience, lovely things are happening inside your mended heart....you are gaining the value of the preciousness of your success, no matter how you end up being able to measure it.

So search for some of those answers online, or ask them here. Then go in and learn about this man who will be fixing you. See, like Ross said, how he would treat himself, or his loved ones. When my surgeon said the valve I was interested in was the one he would choose for himself or his wife, it was a transforming moment. I really felt secure after my visit. I hope you will too.

And hey! I grew up in Woodmoor (Four Corners: where Route 29 meets University Blvd.) Are you close to there? I've been gone since 1974, but of course have wonderful childhood memories (Kindergarten thru 12th grade!!)

Good luck with your surgeon meeting. Let us know how it went.

Marguerite