AAA Pertinent Issues

3A Pertinent Issues

Under ObamaCare the waiting time to get medical attention appeared to have gotten worrisomely longer.  I just got word from my Vascular Surgeon’s (VS) secretary that she received today the written cardiology clearance for the impending Endovascular Repair (Evar) of my Abdwoominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA/3A).  The VS himself has not seen it yet.  Most likely he won’t see it until “early next week.”

However, the earliest available schedule for the procedure as far as she can tell from the hospital docket is 22-Jul-2013.  That is not even date certain, only a perhaps and probable one.  Meanwhile, the stent needs to be ordered from the manufacturer based on CT-Scan measurements of 8-May-2013.  It is a time horizon of seventy-five days or 2.5 months.  Based on the growth rate historically observed at an average of 0.5 cm every 6 months, we may expect the aneurysm to grow by about 0.25 cm in the interim.

This is what I am about to embark on~~ I’ll write up my concerns that by waiting as long as the time table they envisaged could allow the aneurysm to grow significantly enough to the effect that the discrepancy between the CT-Scan measurements of 8-May-2013 on which the stent manufacture is based and the actual size of the aneurysm when the Evar is attempted seventy-five days later could exponentially increase the risk factors to jeopardize the entire procedure’s outcome.

Am I being overly paranoid and needlessly apprehensive or are my concerns warranted by the numbers?  Is the 0.25 cm discrepancy within the factor of safety normally acceptable in surgical practice?

I am already an extremely high risk patient as it is because of the Plavix and my GI condition.  I should FAX said write-up to my Primary Care Physician (PCP), the VS, my GI Attending Physician (GIAP), and the Cardiologist, enjoining them to seek an alternate venue which can accommodate the Evar procedure at a much earlier date.

Based on what you know of protocols governing medical procedure, do you think this has the slightest chance of being able to move the thinking of those who have to make the decision?

 

I’m eagerly and gratefully awaiting your feedback, either by leaving comments below or by some other venues you deem expedient.