O.T. Heart valve choices

[Dave Liquorice]

thread

I might watch the youtube, still not keen on the idea of messing about with a single point of failure, on a live system, without a backup in place and ready to take over.

That would be bit risky on the circulatory side, one little bit doesn't get hoovered up and ends up blocking a artery in the brain = a stroke... I think I prefer the "pushed out of the way" option but that wouldn't work for a mechanical artifical valve. I wonder how many times you could do it.

Good luck Colin. You appear to be a bit like me, interested in the mechanics, the proceedure and stuff to the extent of disconcerting the consultant/surgeon as most people just take what they say without any serious questioning or information requests.

[Dave Liquorice]

Curious, the body normally objects to anything that isn't "self", either by destroying it or enveloping it. Having said that bits of metal work for holding bones together seem to be OK.

[John Rumm]

I once watched a documentary in a US "trauma" operating theatre where they rushed in a lad who had been knifed in the heart. They then set about demonstrating just how fast they could get into the chest cavity if pushed (probably about a couple of mins total!). The surgeon then calmly kept him alive using the high tech method of sticking his finger in the hole in his heart until they could clamp it and stitch it back together.

Its the curse of any engineer - we want to know how it all works. The problem with some of these things is you can be better off not knowing the details!

[Chris J Dixon]

Wasn't there an episode of ER which included debate about the funding for a special saw which would provide rapid access in such circumstances?

Chris

[John Rumm]

Never really watched ER, so I don't know. The tool they were using in that case was basically a electric or pneumatic reciprocating saw. On other occasions when they have more time to play with, I have seen them use a something far more like a Multimaster oscillating saw. Presumably as there is less chance of causing tissue damage with it.

[Jonathan Campbell]

As someone has said, a big problem with Warfarin may be attendance at clinics in your local hospital. In mine the practice is to take a blood sample about 1.30pm; the result is not available until an hour or more later at which time you are placed in a long queue to see a doctor who say +, ok, or - dosage. A good part of half a day gone. I'm told that some medical practices do the blood tests.

At first the monitoring was daily, then down to weekly, and finally to six weeks.

I had no advice on chocolate; and it was mentioned that I could ignore anything I read about green vegetables.

I was told more or less to abstain from alcohol, but I read somewhere that seven units a day was feasible and so relaxed to that, plus or minus :)

My dentist was not keen to even clean my teeth, and has not issued a reminder.

I'm off it now, happily. The problem was clots in my lungs.

Good luck,

Jon C.

[nightjar]

That was the impression I got. I've scheduled a visit to my GP next week to ask him about Warfarin. He is senior partner in the practice and I've been with him since he joined it, freshly qualified. I trust him to be completely honest with me about all thing medical. After that, I will probably ask to see the consultant again.

Colin Bignell

[nightjar]

Thank you. I've spoken to a couple of people who have practical experience of Warfarin too. The general advice seems to be avoid it, if at all possible.

Regards

Colin

[nightjar]

Which comes first, the wanting to know or becoming an engineer?

I have been banned from watching the BBC documentary on heart surgery, which I have recorded, until after the event. I pity my partner. She is one on nature's worriers and the whole thing is a lot harder on her than it is on me

Oddly enough, wandering around the internet I found a paper that was interesting, at least to me. Being about small animals, it was not terribly relevant, but the author was a vet who had shared a flat with me at university and with whom I had subsequently lost contact.

Colin Bignell

[Andy Champ]

Surely it must have been an Angle Grinder?

Good luck Colin. Keep us all posted.

Andy

[Lobster]

nightjar I'm not going in for DIY heart surgery, although I did know a chap who

Colin, you're in good company - from today's news:

[nightjar]

It is a case I'm watching with considerable interest. She's not far off the age where I would probably need a second valve if I go for the tissue replacement. So far, the advice from anyone who has taken Warfarin has been an almost universal 'don't take it if you can possibly avoid it', so that is looking more probable.

Colin