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: 6/30/2006 Subject: Angiogram
Question My grandfather was sent in for a simple angiogram. He was 79 years old. He ended up having two that day. We knew the risks but he had so many done before with no complications. The doctor had performed a doppler the week before and said his carotid was very bad but that he wanted to do an angiogram to be sure. The first angiogram he came back with 80% blockage in an artery that was to his neck but lower in the chest area. He said he wanted to do a stint but that it could only be done by a doctor that was at a University hospital. They fed my grandfather, about an hout later the nurse came in and said they was taking him in for a 2nd angiogram to check his blood flow. After this one, the heart doctor and a surgeon from university medical center came in to talk to the famil and said he had 90 % blockage in his left carotid. Surgeon would do the surgery at 5pm that day. Durin the time of waiting for the surgery my grandfather was in extreme pain. He asked for something for pain , they gave him a shot of morphine. He was up and down after his alotted time of laying still due to pain, crying out in pain. They came around 3:45 pm to get him for surgery, had him back there for over an hour, came and informed the family they could't do the surgery because he had ate, which they knew, but a nurse said it was because my grandfather was in too much pain. We don't know when but they had my grandfather to sign his own release papers. During the whole time they was getting ready to send him home he was crying out in pain, telling them that this pain was so much different and worse then what he had experimented with other angiogramns. All they had to say was'YOU SHOULDNT BE IN THAT MUCH PAIN". Would'nt give him anything else for pain. When the nurse took his i.v out blood went everywhere..she just wrapped it up. Sent him home no matter what he said. We got him home, later that night had to call the ambulance due to his extreme pain. He went to a hospital about 20 minites away. They kept him over night. The next morning sent him back to the heart hospital due to internal bleeding. He arrived there Saturday morning between 7:30 and 8:00 am. They ran tests and sent him to CCCCU. Gave him plasma and platelates to build his blood. Said they had the bleeding under control. We left around 6:00 pm due to him resting comfortably and them saying he was going to be fine. Around 9:00 pm received a call saying they needed to take him to surgery due to alot of bleeding. Durin the short time we was gone they had to give him 3 units os blood. The surgery was performed with a different surgeon. The surgeon came out about an hour later and said he had stopped the bleedind. that they had knicked an artery during the angiogram, he also had taking out a blood clot the size of a baseball between his kidney and liver. After this surgery he never was well again, his kidneys started failing and his lungs began to fill with fluid. He died shortly after 3am Monday morning. Could he have been saved if they would'nt have sent him home when he was intially telling him what pain he was in ? We believe he would still be here today if they would have just listened to him and us.
Answer I am so sorry this is awfully hard for all of his family and loved ones. I really can't offer an opinion on whether or not the surgeon/hopital is to blame, but there are many lawyersm who would listen and let you know if you have a "case" my boss is an expert wittness in vascular surgery cases and so I see this kind of thing way too often. Again, I am so sorry for your loss. Lauri
