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: 4/5/2001 Subject: Cartoid Artery Tumor
Question My sister was just diagnosed with MS,they did an MRI, they also found a tumor that is apporx. 4x3x2
on her cartoid artery, they suggest surgery, this surgery sounds awful! They said it could cause a stroke, is there anything else that could help her, what could the worst be if she leaves the tumor alone, what could happen before during and after the surgery if she has it- could she be in worse shape after the surgery?? Thanks
Terry - email is mom_mayberry@angelfire.com
Answer carotid endarterectomy is a simple procedure done thousands of times a day across the country. takes about an hour and can be done under general or local anesthesia. most people are home agian in 1-3 days, recovery is a snap. take a look here http://www.anes.ccf.org:8080/PILOT/NEURO/cea.htm and do a quick websearch, you find lots of info out there, including surgical pix etc.
the surgery is done when is risk of stroke without the surgey is greater than the risk of stroke during surgery. I have set up literally hundereds of these cases over the years and had one stroke occur. you need to find out the statistics of the surgeon doing the operation, number of cases he has done VS number of complications...also important is the postop care...you wnat her in a hospital that handles these routinely, the post op evaluations of experienced nursing staff can pick up on it much quicker, if something goes awry.
one other thing I would stress is theat these surgeries, are golden,after you get past the 18 month mark, if something is going to go wrong, it is inthe first 1- 11/2 years...to ensure that any problems are found early, we advise patients to come in for ultrasound scans at 1, 3, 6, 6, 6 months & then every year thereafter. these scans can foretell any narrowing or stenosis creeping into the artery / anastomosis. since your sis does not have atherosclerosis- the disease that narrows the arteries, this is likely to not be a problem for her, but still, the US scans are a must in my opinion. she should have the scans the rest of her life.
I assume you have a surgeon in mind, but if not, and if you want the names of some in her area, tell me where she is and I can give some names.
please, take the time to read about this surgery, in the hands of an experiences peripheral vascualr surgeon, the risk of stroke is less than 1%.....way way way less than if you "leave it alone"...inform yourself and be calm and supportive for her, that is the best medicine she can have.
