Sqad...........pssst..........over here.........

[jackthehat]

My father is due to undergo an operation to repair an aortic aneurysm; 80mm and cannot be treated by use of stent.

Can you tell me the duration of this operation, if everything is straightforwards ?

[Sqad]

jack.........depends.

Aortic Aneurysm in the chest......bad news........3-4 hours.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm..........good news if stent can be inserted.......2hours.
if stent can't be used then a bypass from above the Aorta to the Femoral Artery in the thigh and this may take longer.''''3hrs+

These times vary with theCardio-thoracic Unit and the technique of the surgeon.

[jackthehat]

Abdominal Aortic aneurysm...........no stent possible due to its position on the artery. :o(

Thankyou for answering so promptly.

Oh, bum ..........!!!!!!!!!:o(

[Sqad]

jack...that would indicate to me that the Renal artery ( the one to the kidney) is also involved.......not good news I'm afraid jack and that will lengthen the time of operation.

[jackthehat]

My Dad is 67. His Dad had an aortin aneurysm, too although we don't know if it was thoracic or abdominal.
Grandad was a 'guinea-pig' for the surgeon (name has gone) making advancements into 'aortic' surgery. I think, in 1960, though, it involved a length of hose-pipe and two jubilee clips............:o) He lived another 6 years before a massive heart-attack carried him off.

My Dad had a heart attack aged 49 and has been on various tablets since then (although he has long since ceased to be 'monitored', as such).

I am feeling very twitchy................is there any reassurance to be had ?

[Sqad]

jack.....good surgeons, excellent post op care, drugs for cardiac inefficiency, renal dialysis, excellent nurses.......not the best card to draw out of the hat jack (no pun intended) but ...........there is always hope.........plus he has a good son.

Which hospital is he having the operation in?

[jackthehat]

Blackpool Victoria.................and I am supposed to be going away on the day of his op. It means leaving my Mum on her own for 2/3 days..............Really on her own. No other family.

My partner has organised this trip away. We'll lose a load of money that we'll not get back.........and possibly couldn't really have afforded at the time....She's looking forwards to it, and so am I.

Oh, horlicks !!!

P.S. I'm a laydee.................:o)

[Sqad]

jack Blackpool's Cardio-Thoracic unit is brand new and it is "state of the art", one of the Cardiac Surgeons is an Indian Mr Tang with a very good reputation.

As far as the holiday is concerned, your choice, but your Dad will not be "interested" in visitors for about a week after the operation, so there is nothing you can do, so go on holiday.............in my opinion.

[jackthehat]

Thanks, Sqad.
I believe I have some hard-thinking to do during the next week.................:o(

[Sqad]

Good luck and keep us informed eh?

[jackthehat]

Dad has just had a telephone call from surgeon's secretary. Operation postponed until 13th October !!!
At least that means that we can go away without worry.......:o)

Thankyou for your knowledge and kind words, Sqad.

[Sqad]

jack....good news.

[jackthehat]

Update as promised (now that you are back here). He had the op on the 6th October.
5 and a half hours surgery; he lost a consierable amount of blood...........but they put it all back, so that's ok.
Off to a racing start recovery-wise until two M.I.'s blind-sided him (and us)on Saturday, when we nearly lost him; resulting Pulmonary Oedema has been successfully treated. After being back in ICU for a spell he's now on a SHC unit.
He has to gain strength before they will take him to the Coronary Unit in order to find out just how badly his heart has been affected.
But the old goat is still with us.....laughing and joking and charming the nurses.