Looking for a Doctor's help... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

NoSoup · 03-09-2006, 07:32 PM

Perhaps this may not be the proper forum, or maybe even possible...

However, my Father recently had a variety of heart problems - stemming basically from complications from the surgery.

I am looking for a doctor that can review the information that I have and let me know if he should have been discharged when he was...

If you aren't a doctor but know someone who is and wouldn't mind taking a look, please let me know

A bit of the background...

My father had a mild heart attack, and the hospital did a cathederization - they basically ran a wire/camera through from his upper thigh artery to take a peek inside the heart. Unfortunately, during the procedure, the "perferated" the heart or a vein/artery near the heart. They didn't notice this at the time. He was told that the heart attack had caused very little damage - if any - and that he would have 100% recovery.

The hospital kept him for three days for observation. The day he was discharged, they did an echocardiogram (including an ultrasound) to make sure that everything was fine. They then discharged him.

At around 4:00 am the next morning, I get a call from my father, gasping for breath - ".... Can't.... Breathe...." Then the phone died. To make a long story short, I called an ambulance, drove over there, and gave him nitroglycerin as he was showing tell-tale signs of a heart attack (vomiting, difficulty breathing, chest pain, etc...)

Once he arrived at the hospital, they discovered that the cause was a hole in the heart that was put there during the initial catherazation process. It apparently bled so much that the sac surrounding his heart was so filled with fluid that his heart couldn't properly beat due to the pressure.

To alleviate the pressure, they did a periocardial window and allowed it to drain. Unfortunately, because his blood pressure was so low (not only due to the inability for his heart to beat properly, but also because of the nitroglycerin I had given him) he was not given any pain killers nor put under general anastesia during the operation. However, he was put on some type of IV drip that increased his blood pressure.

When he was released from surgery, the hospital gave him 48 ml of morphine as well as 1000 mg of Vicoden. He ended up overdosing on the narcotics, so they had to give him Narcovit to counteract the drugs.

Over the next few days there was a series of mishaps and issues that don't really need to be explained unless people are actually interested, but suffice it to say had I not been there watching what everyone did he would likely have been killed by the nursing staff. (For instance, they were going to inject him with penicillin - which he is deathly allergic to... so said the allergy bracelet he was wearing)

Anyway, there was extensive damage caused and he now has a lot of problems related to the damage (He had a defbrillator implanted, has on several occasions fallen into a potentially lethal arrythmia (ventricular tachycardia) has to go to physical therapy, ect)

I'm curious, though, as to whether or not you can see the fluid built up around the heart on the information that I have. I find it difficult to believe that he was in the hospital for three days with no bleeding, then less than 24 hours later the sac is so filled with fluid (over 500 ml) that his heart cannot beat under the compression.

If anyone happens to be a doctor, or know a doctor, or can possibly help me out with this, I would be very, very appreciative.

I have all the written reports about his stay at the hospital, as well as a disc that includes video taken from the day he was initially discharged.

**I apologize for the likely many spelling mistakes, especially when it comes to the medical terminology - I did the best I could**

eribrav · 03-10-2006, 04:24 PM

You are unlikely to get any truely useful information following this path of inquiry. You may get some random opinions that will be worth exactly what you are paying for them.
If you want a second medical opinion, take your dad, and go see a Doctor. Don't listen to some random BS that might get thrown around on a discussion board.

cyrnel · 03-10-2006, 04:48 PM

I agree. It is good to summarize and present as you have, but no matter what we tell you you'll need to bring in someone with more knowledge. Call around for nurse practitioners. Get perspectives from multiple professionals. They'll want the charts. You should start that process first thing. Seriously. As caregiver you have access with your father's signature. If your father were to pass away you'll have a difficult time getting anything without legal assistance and big costs. That's not a position you want to put yourself in.

NoSoup · 03-10-2006, 06:24 PM

Well, I agree with both of you and appreciate you opinion, but I think perhaps I am not being all that clear. Obviously, if this had an impact on his health I wouldn't simply post it on a messageboard.

My reasons for posting this are basically just out of curiosity - the damage has already been done, I just wonder if it was preventable or not...

thingstodo · 03-11-2006, 02:27 PM

I'm a doctoer. Oh, wait, I only play one on TV.

Dude...even if someone said they were a doctor, how would you know? Spend a hundred bucks and go see someone! And then perhaps a lawyer.

gonadman · 03-13-2006, 08:17 PM

The echocardiogram is the test of choice for evaluating pericardial effusion. A significant bleed would easily have been picked up by this test at discharge- that's why they do it. Your father may have been relatively asymptomatic until enough blood had built up to restrict the heart contractions, however, I find it hard to believe there was not enough pericardial blood to detect on echo three days post cath. You might want to ask your father's cardiologist to obtain a copy of the echo report for you.

With that being said, myocardial perforation is a known, although rare, complication of cardiac catherization. Even the best cardiologists will unfortunately experience a small percentage of complications. That knowledge doesn't help you or your dad at all, but the possibility of a complication like that should have been explained to your dad before the procedure.

My opinions only. I wish your father the best in his recovery.

NoSoup · 03-16-2006, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonadman

The echocardiogram is the test of choice for evaluating pericardial effusion. A significant bleed would easily have been picked up by this test at discharge- that's why they do it. Your father may have been relatively asymptomatic until enough blood had built up to restrict the heart contractions, however, I find it hard to believe there was not enough pericardial blood to detect on echo three days post cath. You might want to ask your father's cardiologist to obtain a copy of the echo report for you.

With that being said, myocardial perforation is a known, although rare, complication of cardiac catherization. Even the best cardiologists will unfortunately experience a small percentage of complications. That knowledge doesn't help you or your dad at all, but the possibility of a complication like that should have been explained to your dad before the procedure.

My opinions only. I wish your father the best in his recovery.

Thank you very much!

Although we weren't really informed of the risks beforehand, I attribute that to it being an emergency situation.

The fact that he had myocardial perforation doesn't really bother me - it just seems like they should have caught it before he was discharged. He was asymptamatic prior to and even for a while after he was discharged - but like you said, I find it difficult to believe that they couldn't see the buildup of fluid three days after the cath, only to have him rushed back in less than 24 hours later because there was so much it was restricting his heart palpatations....

I already have the written reports as well as video, and am just hoping someone with a bit of expertise can take a look at them...

03-09-2006, 07:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
NoSoup Non-Rookie Location: Green Bay, WI	Looking for a Doctor's help... Perhaps this may not be the proper forum, or maybe even possible... However, my Father recently had a variety of heart problems - stemming basically from complications from the surgery. I am looking for a doctor that can review the information that I have and let me know if he should have been discharged when he was... If you aren't a doctor but know someone who is and wouldn't mind taking a look, please let me know A bit of the background... My father had a mild heart attack, and the hospital did a cathederization - they basically ran a wire/camera through from his upper thigh artery to take a peek inside the heart. Unfortunately, during the procedure, the "perferated" the heart or a vein/artery near the heart. They didn't notice this at the time. He was told that the heart attack had caused very little damage - if any - and that he would have 100% recovery. The hospital kept him for three days for observation. The day he was discharged, they did an echocardiogram (including an ultrasound) to make sure that everything was fine. They then discharged him. At around 4:00 am the next morning, I get a call from my father, gasping for breath - ".... Can't.... Breathe...." Then the phone died. To make a long story short, I called an ambulance, drove over there, and gave him nitroglycerin as he was showing tell-tale signs of a heart attack (vomiting, difficulty breathing, chest pain, etc...) Once he arrived at the hospital, they discovered that the cause was a hole in the heart that was put there during the initial catherazation process. It apparently bled so much that the sac surrounding his heart was so filled with fluid that his heart couldn't properly beat due to the pressure. To alleviate the pressure, they did a periocardial window and allowed it to drain. Unfortunately, because his blood pressure was so low (not only due to the inability for his heart to beat properly, but also because of the nitroglycerin I had given him) he was not given any pain killers nor put under general anastesia during the operation. However, he was put on some type of IV drip that increased his blood pressure. When he was released from surgery, the hospital gave him 48 ml of morphine as well as 1000 mg of Vicoden. He ended up overdosing on the narcotics, so they had to give him Narcovit to counteract the drugs. Over the next few days there was a series of mishaps and issues that don't really need to be explained unless people are actually interested, but suffice it to say had I not been there watching what everyone did he would likely have been killed by the nursing staff. (For instance, they were going to inject him with penicillin - which he is deathly allergic to... so said the allergy bracelet he was wearing) Anyway, there was extensive damage caused and he now has a lot of problems related to the damage (He had a defbrillator implanted, has on several occasions fallen into a potentially lethal arrythmia (ventricular tachycardia) has to go to physical therapy, ect) I'm curious, though, as to whether or not you can see the fluid built up around the heart on the information that I have. I find it difficult to believe that he was in the hospital for three days with no bleeding, then less than 24 hours later the sac is so filled with fluid (over 500 ml) that his heart cannot beat under the compression. If anyone happens to be a doctor, or know a doctor, or can possibly help me out with this, I would be very, very appreciative. I have all the written reports about his stay at the hospital, as well as a disc that includes video taken from the day he was initially discharged. I apologize for the likely many spelling mistakes, especially when it comes to the medical terminology - I did the best I could __________________ I have an aura of reliability and good judgement. Just in case you were wondering...

03-10-2006, 04:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	I agree. It is good to summarize and present as you have, but no matter what we tell you you'll need to bring in someone with more knowledge. Call around for nurse practitioners. Get perspectives from multiple professionals. They'll want the charts. You should start that process first thing. Seriously. As caregiver you have access with your father's signature. If your father were to pass away you'll have a difficult time getting anything without legal assistance and big costs. That's not a position you want to put yourself in. __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

03-10-2006, 06:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
NoSoup Non-Rookie Location: Green Bay, WI	Well, I agree with both of you and appreciate you opinion, but I think perhaps I am not being all that clear. Obviously, if this had an impact on his health I wouldn't simply post it on a messageboard. My reasons for posting this are basically just out of curiosity - the damage has already been done, I just wonder if it was preventable or not... __________________ I have an aura of reliability and good judgement. Just in case you were wondering...

03-11-2006, 02:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
thingstodo A Storm Is Coming Location: The Great White North	I'm a doctoer. Oh, wait, I only play one on TV. Dude...even if someone said they were a doctor, how would you know? Spend a hundred bucks and go see someone! And then perhaps a lawyer. __________________ If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy.

03-13-2006, 08:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
gonadman Psycho Location: Philly	The echocardiogram is the test of choice for evaluating pericardial effusion. A significant bleed would easily have been picked up by this test at discharge- that's why they do it. Your father may have been relatively asymptomatic until enough blood had built up to restrict the heart contractions, however, I find it hard to believe there was not enough pericardial blood to detect on echo three days post cath. You might want to ask your father's cardiologist to obtain a copy of the echo report for you. With that being said, myocardial perforation is a known, although rare, complication of cardiac catherization. Even the best cardiologists will unfortunately experience a small percentage of complications. That knowledge doesn't help you or your dad at all, but the possibility of a complication like that should have been explained to your dad before the procedure. My opinions only. I wish your father the best in his recovery. __________________ For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, ...breathlessly. -Carlos Castaneda

03-10-2006, 04:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
eribrav Junkie Location: upstate NY	You are unlikely to get any truely useful information following this path of inquiry. You may get some random opinions that will be worth exactly what you are paying for them. If you want a second medical opinion, take your dad, and go see a Doctor. Don't listen to some random BS that might get thrown around on a discussion board.