AboutLauri Ordway Expertise I can answer your questions related to peripheral vacular disorders. This includes all arteries and veins except those inside the head and inside the heart. IE: neck (carotid), arms (carotid subclavian bypases to Thoracic Outlet) belly (aortic aneurysm & occlusive disorders, renal artery stenosis), legs (iliac, femoral, popliteal, peroneal, dorasalis pedis, posterior and anterior tibial) arteries. Aneurysm & occlusive disease, atherosclerosis, leg pain, arterial wounds and gangrene, amputation prevention. Vein disorders: Blood Clots (DVT), post-phlebetic syndrome, varicose veins, venous stasis ulcers. I can help with vascular wound treatments. Also, Raynauds, Buerger`s disease, Thoracic Outlet and other miscellaneous vascular disorders.
I CANNOT answer questions about your heart disease, blood pressure, brain aneurysm, although I can help with questions about the arteries that go to and from those organs.
Experience I am a nurse, I have worked for 14 years with two terrific peripheral vascular surgeons, one of them is also the inventor of very innovative wound care products and surgical instruments to make vascular surgery procedures better and faster. I wrote and manage our clinic website and field questions from patients all over the world.
Expert: Lauri Ordway Date: 5/14/2008 Subject: FemPop recovery
Question My 91 y.o. mom had fem pop done on the 2nd of May and experienced a true psychosis post-op. Mom had spinal anaesthesia but I recognize that she does not do well with drugs.
She was discharged home (alone) some 20 hrs post op and the watch began.
On the third post-op day, mom's 'right mind' returned and she recovered her mentation completely.
Mom has a swollen leg, staples, oozing a serous liquid without odor and her foot is still swollen. She will see the doc for her 1st post-op visit on the 19th of May. As this is a 2nd bypass on the same leg, are we to expect that she will take longer to recover? She is remarkable in that she does not know the meaning of 'take it easy' and although she is forced to rest, she does so with reserve.
We are just trying to find out how long this process takes. Mom is 105 lbs and 5'1" tall.
Thank you so much.
Veronica
Answer Wow, well she does sound like a handful!
the 2nd bypass is always harder. were they doing regular bypass scans (ultrasound) to make sure the bypass is doing OK? did they say why it failed? had they used her own vein or synthetic?
it is important that if she is not walking around, she is elevating that leg, not seated with it on the floor or standing still...gravity pulls the fluids and the swelling gets worse. that serous fluid is likely a lymph leak, the lymphatics "live" right in the circulatory system and they can get 'angry' and leak. the fluid can prevent the incision from healing well as it should be clean and dry. the fact that she is small will make healing easier, make sure she eats lots of protein, even if you have to buy ensure and make milkshakes out of it..or a GNC store will have protein supplements you can mix with juice or milk, I like MET-RX and a good multi-vit daily.
if they did not do regular ultrasounds last time ask for them this time, we do then at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 18 months after surgery and then twice a year after that. to make sure that if the bypass is narrowing, it can be fixed before surgery is necessary.
unless, is she a smoker? if so, it will fail and fast and at our clinic, we fix smoker's bypasses 3 times then, if they still haven't stopped smoking, we refer them to another doctor.
best of luck, lauri
