Submitted by Dr T on March 22, 2014 – 1:02pm
in
Question:
My father (85yrs old) had a bypass three weeks ago. He has recovered very well, but comments that he is passing much more urine than before the op. (he had his bladder removed 5 years ago as he had Ca Bladder and now wears a urostomy bag). Is this normal, or could he have a urinary tract infection?
It certainly can be a urinary tract infection, but the way a CABG is performed often leads to a lot of fluid administered during the operation, which your father’s body is now getting rid of. If so, that is a good sign and shows his heart and kidneys are working just fine! In any case, I’d recommend a urinanalysis and culture to make sure.
Hope this helps,
Comments
If your mother is not a candidate for a standard aortic valve replacement, a TAVI may be an option. Patients in this category have no chance of long term survival. Read more here:
However, if her STS operative risk was calculated @ 4% she is NOT high risk (i.e. inoperable) and should be considered for a standard aortic valve replacement. I would first recommend a consultation with a cardiac surgeon rather than just her cardiologist. As a (now retired) cardiac surgeon I have done many aortic valve replacements in patients just like her (and with excellent results), a much superior operation if it can be done! TAVI was designed for patients who are considered inoperable otherwise, unlike your mother.
The PARTNER 2 trial was designed to test one valve (the Edwards SAPIEN valve), is sponsored by this company and tests this valve against a standard valve replacement. If enrolled, it will be a 50-50 chance of one procedure against the other. Participating hospitals are among the best in the country, but trials like this eliminate the chance of making an individual decision – in this case making an optimal choice (I believe a aortic valve replacement) rather than a throw of the dice.
If her risk had been calculated much higher, this trial might be an option.
Hope this helps,
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