I knew I shouldn't have held onto the word "optimistic" when the
cardiologist told us last week that she was "cautiously optimistic"
about the new plan to coil off collaterals. I was right to only be
cautious. After talking with the interventional cardiologist and
going back to the cardiologist who conducted the MRI, it was
determined that none of Izzy's collaterals are big enough to coil.
They are all way too small for the coil (spring) to be inserted.
That means, we must allow 1/3 of Izzy's blood to flow from her
aorta to her lungs and nothing can be done about it in the cath
lab.
The cardilogists, however, still want to move forward with the cath. First, Izzy has to have a CT to get a better image of the blood flow to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries. I was expecting this. At least a week later, they will do the cath. (They need the CT to help plan the cath, including whether they have to insert the catheter through Izzy's liver.) At a minimum, they will take pressure measurements during the cath. To date, science has not come far enough to ascertain the actual pressure levels inside the heart and inside the pulmonary arteries without inserting a catheter. It is very important to determine whether the pressure in Izzy's right ventricle has increased and to know whether the pressure in her pulmonary arteries has increased. Treatments or procedures may be added if either has occurred. Currently, Izzy is not being treated with pulmonary hypertension medications because the pressure was only significantly high in places. If there are high pressures everywhere, there are definitely medicines that may help. So, we are going forward.
There is new technology as well that will allow the doctors to place the cath images on top of the CT images, making a 3D type picture of Izzy's circulatory system. That could give the doctors a lot more information as well. We don't have dates yet for the CT or the cath. We should know by the end of the week. Izzy's primary cardiologist wants it all done in the next couple of months though.
On another note, Izzy got new shoes with new orthodic braces for her ankles this past weekend and new glasses (to be coming soon).
And can you believe it was 60 degrees in Michigan last weekend? It was! So, we got to work our lungs by blowing bubbles!
Unfortunately, following the bubble blowing, Izzy's heart was going quite a fast pace at 150 beats per minute (even after resting). And she has been dropping her oxygen sats below 90 when sleeping. Either she is coming down with a bug (which her primary care doc did not see yesterday) or she really needs the cardiologists to find something. I hate to hope this, but let's hope it is a bug (not a nasty one like the flu though, something easy).
Mel
The cardilogists, however, still want to move forward with the cath. First, Izzy has to have a CT to get a better image of the blood flow to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries. I was expecting this. At least a week later, they will do the cath. (They need the CT to help plan the cath, including whether they have to insert the catheter through Izzy's liver.) At a minimum, they will take pressure measurements during the cath. To date, science has not come far enough to ascertain the actual pressure levels inside the heart and inside the pulmonary arteries without inserting a catheter. It is very important to determine whether the pressure in Izzy's right ventricle has increased and to know whether the pressure in her pulmonary arteries has increased. Treatments or procedures may be added if either has occurred. Currently, Izzy is not being treated with pulmonary hypertension medications because the pressure was only significantly high in places. If there are high pressures everywhere, there are definitely medicines that may help. So, we are going forward.
There is new technology as well that will allow the doctors to place the cath images on top of the CT images, making a 3D type picture of Izzy's circulatory system. That could give the doctors a lot more information as well. We don't have dates yet for the CT or the cath. We should know by the end of the week. Izzy's primary cardiologist wants it all done in the next couple of months though.
On another note, Izzy got new shoes with new orthodic braces for her ankles this past weekend and new glasses (to be coming soon).
And can you believe it was 60 degrees in Michigan last weekend? It was! So, we got to work our lungs by blowing bubbles!
Unfortunately, following the bubble blowing, Izzy's heart was going quite a fast pace at 150 beats per minute (even after resting). And she has been dropping her oxygen sats below 90 when sleeping. Either she is coming down with a bug (which her primary care doc did not see yesterday) or she really needs the cardiologists to find something. I hate to hope this, but let's hope it is a bug (not a nasty one like the flu though, something easy).
Mel
12 Message(s) from Carepages
No comments:
Post a Comment