small?? My sister's mother in law just had a heart cath and they basically told her to go home and wait for the big one because there isnt anything they can do. they said her vessels are too small for a bypass or another stint placement. btw, she had a stint placed about 2 months ago that already closed up because once again they say the vessels are too small. She is only 60. it just seems they arent coming up with any answers. Is there really nothing left but to wait to have a huge heart attack and die???
2006-07-27 16:20:17 · 5 answers · asked by aprile_showers_wv 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
Well I work in the cath lab and there is a such thing as too small of vessels. However, there is equipment out there to accomodate that. It also depends on the location of the lesion and how many there are. To me it sounds like the hospital is being cheap. For instance, the first time they laid down a stent, it sounds like they put in a bare-metal stent opposed to a drug eluting stent. With the drug eluting stent she has a very minimal chance of in stent restenosis which she is experiencing right now. So one option would be to , get a second opinion! And defintely get her cath'd at a different location, and hopefully they would be willing to reballoon the lesion and place a stent. And also you should get more info on the preexisting stent she has and find out what size it is. They make drug eluting stents for vessels as small as 2.0mm in diameter, and usually they only way they'll put bare metal stents in is if its smaller then that. If this doesn't answer your quesiton let me know and I'll help as much as possible.
2006-07-28 15:00:03 · answer #1 · answered by eversick68 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the suggestion for a second opinion. But sometimes the diseased heart vessels are the tiny branches of the bigger ones. If that is the case, the only treatment is what is called "aggressive medical management". That means maximal medications to lower cholesterol, control blood pressure, no tobacco, and eating right. Dr Dean Ornish has a program that will make a difference. You can google his name or go to Amazon.com. He is highly respected.
2006-07-27 16:27:47 · answer #2 · answered by Diane D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have not heard about that. with all the advances in the medical field it seems there should be some type of fix. i would suggest a second opinion.
2006-07-27 16:23:11 · answer #3 · answered by serenitynow 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medical management only when stent placement is not available.
2006-07-27 16:22:15 · answer #4 · answered by PreviouslyChap 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think she needs to go and see another doctor. The could replace with other things! They have been using pig valves, and dead people parts why couldnt they do it with her?
2006-07-28 06:44:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋