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Hello,
I can't find anything about this problem on the site. I don't know anything about it, except my aunt says if it bursts, she is dead. She is scheduled for a CT scan this week and then she will be going for surgery. She says the surgery is very extensive and will involve an incision all the way down her back "and around". I don't understand this. Please, someone tell me what it is, what causes it, and what the options are. Thanks!
In Reply to: Aunt with aneurysm posted by KMD on October 01, 2000 at 20:31:40:
Hi Kathy,
Sounds like an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A weakening and subsequent bulging of the aorta in the abdominal area.
One of my patients was just diagnosed with this this week. (Your aunt doesn't live in Westland, does she?)
If it does rupture, less than 50% survive.
check the link below.
Doc Kim
In Reply to: Aunt with aneurysm posted by KMD on October 01, 2000 at 20:31:40:
I am no expert on these but my grandfather had one so will
tell you what little I know. I believe in his case he had
restriction in blood flow that caused an increase in pressure
and a weakened artery balooned up. His was in the aorta,
a main artery. The Dr said if he was preped and ready to go
into surgery and it ruptured he would have died because his
blood would have all pumped out of his blood stream into
internal cavaties in 4 minutes so not enought time to open
him up and stop it. I think they are like a balloon and
restriction somewhere and increased pressure with weakened
blood vessle walls they can blow up.
VF
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm posted by Doc Kim on October 01, 2000 at 21:29:42:
Thanks Vince and Doc Kim,
My aunt doesn't live in Westland...
I checked out the link and now am able to understand a bit more about her condition. I think you are right about it being an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Sounds like the surgery is very risky, just like she said. The surgery is so risky, according to the link, that they wait for the aneurysm to get big enough that the risk of rupture outweighs the risk of the surgery. I suppose there is nothing else she can do?
She mentioned something about it (her aneurysm) being a "5", which I am assuming means a stage or a grade. What is the last stage before rupture?
P.S. - Doc Kim, I posted below asking if you also believe that my son could have been born with plagiocephaly - thus the likely congenital TMJ. The circumstances are explained there (I think). You said that his TMJ could be congenital just like so many other abnormalities, but you never said the word "plagiocephaly". Walt did, and said a good cranial osteopath may be our next option. I don't know much (yet) about this condition. Thanks for any additional input.
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm - stages of? posted by KMD on October 01, 2000 at 22:44:21:
KMD,
I don't know if or how they gauge the size or seriousness In the show I saw the aorta was "Y" shaped theough the VF
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm - stages of? posted by KMD on October 01, 2000 at 22:44:21:
HI Kathy,
Plagiocephaly is just a name meaning "bent skull". I don't get too hung-up on names because they become become too limiting. Your chiro should know what to do and he is probably trained in the crainial manipulation techniques required.
Keep us informed!
Namaste'
Doc Kim
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm - stages of? posted by Vince F on October 02, 2000 at 01:26:42:
nmi
In Reply to: Aunt with aneurysm posted by KMD on October 01, 2000 at 20:31:40:
Hi, KMD.
If it ruptures while they are "diagnosing" it, she IS dead. Her only chance is to get it repaired (removed and a prosthesis placed) before that happens. There is significant death risk WITH the surgery but without it the death rate is 100%.
NOW, having said that, there IS a genetic propensity to this problem and research, done on cadavers 30 years ago, proved that silicon deficiency is the major cause of aneurysms.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.) posted by Walt Stoll on October 03, 2000 at 10:59:42:
Hi Walt,
If you archive this in "aneurysm", it will be a NEW archive.
I've never heard of a "silicon deficiency", nor have I heard of silicon supplements (which I would assume a person should take for this problem?) Fortunately for me, I suppose, she is my aunt via marriage and not a true blood relative (no genetic problem for me).
The link that Doc Kim posted sited about a 50% death rate from rupture. Why are you quoting 100%? I think it is an abdominal aortic aneurysm, but I'm not sure. Also, I haven't heard about the prosthesis and I don't understand how that works -- aren't we talking about a ballooned vein? My thinking was that they would remove the bad part and sew the 2 ends together. Give me some more edukayshun!
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.) - Walt again posted by KMD on October 03, 2000 at 11:26:07:
Hi, Kathy
Sometimes the procedure used is an open abdominal surgery but new advances in technology can allow for a procedure without opening the abdomen (it depends, of course) or a combination of open surgery with an interluminal stent placement under some sort of ultrasound or other radiographic guidance. What I take this to mean is they enter below the level of the aneurysm in another artery with a device that removes the aneurysm and then a stent is placed to fit over the place where the aneurysm is removed to reconnect the artery for the blood to flow. If you'll try to pin down the exact name of the procedure she's having when you know, I'll try to get more info.
June
In Reply to: Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.) - Walt again posted by KMD on October 03, 2000 at 11:26:07:
Hi, Kathy.
You are "dating" me. The last statistics for a ruptured abdominal aneurysm I saw was so close to 100% fatal as to make no difference. That was, however, 10 years ago.
It is STILL true that the difference in the surgical success, prior to rupture--as compared to after rupture--is still so great as to make diagnosis and treatment a surgical emergency.
I have decided to make a new archive for this and several other things I have been putting off.
In the '60s a large study was done on autopsied aortas of cadavers. The ones that showed no sign of aneurysm had a normal %of silicon in their aorta and the ones WITH aneurysms had nearly no silicone.
NOW, the thought is that genetic susceptibility to the lack of silicone has something to do with the problem as well. However, so far, the only thing we can do to reduce this risk (until we can identify the genetic susceptibility and do something about THAT) is to be sure to supplement silicone every day--especially in anyone with a family history. Oatstraw tea and horsetail tea have silicone in them. The shiny surface of the straw has the silicone. HOWEVER silicone is pretty hard to get off the straw and so THIS tea must be boiled for a long time. Just in the past 10 years (since the study above) silicone has been available in tablets.
Finally, if more than 1/2 inch of aorta has to be removed (almost always at least 1 1/2 inches or more has to be removed) a graft is always needed. Since the abdominal aorta is by far the largest artery (not vein) in the body there is no other autograft that can be used. Pig aortas are being tried but for now a plastic (teflon) graft is most commonly used and pretty successfully.
Hope this answers your questions.
Namaste`
Walt
but
came out and was exhausted and said his was Really Big and
made a hand gesture like holding a football and gramps had
back pain and his stomach was bulging. If it gives you any
confidence, he was 97 and just came back from a trip to
europe and the Dr's only gave him a 25% chance because of
his age but after the Op he said his internal organs were
like a guy 30 yrs younger but he had had a hernia Op that
didn't hold so they put screening in to Reinforce the tissue
or stitching so there was weaknesses. They cut him from his
throat to his abdomen as I remember which seems more than needed.
bulge was on the bottom leg of it.
Follow Ups:
Re: Aunt with aneurysm - stages of?
Posted by Doc Kim on October 02, 2000 at 08:45:47:
Thanks for all the info, Doc Kim and Vince! (nmi)
Posted by KMD on October 02, 2000 at 09:46:11:
Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.)
Posted by Walt Stoll on October 03, 2000 at 10:59:42:
Follow Ups:
Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.) - Walt again
Posted by KMD on October 03, 2000 at 11:26:07:
Follow Ups:
Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.) - Walt again
Posted by June on October 03, 2000 at 12:01:35:
Re: Aunt with aneurysm (Archive in aneurysm.) - Walt again
Posted by Walt Stoll on October 05, 2000 at 14:49:03:
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