my surgery on TV??

[John Cochran]

My first concern was about the issues with a TV crew filming surgery--sterile conditions, delays, distractions to the surgical team, etc. Apparently, this particular TV crew has already filmed at this hospital...an actual heart transplant. Anyhow, I will have a serious chat with my surgeon about this. I do know that hospitals often inquire if it is OK for THEM to film your surgery for educational purposes, so there must be ways to introduce a camera in sterile conditions without interfering with or distracting the surgical team. Believe me, I don't want to be on a heart-lung machine even 30 seconds longer that absolutely necessary! One friend did point out something I hadn't thought of: If the surgery is filmed, there is a good chance that the whole surgical team will strive to do every little thing perfectly; however, my guess is that these peoples' professional lives already embrace as much perfection as is humanly possible, so I'm not sure that really makes a difference. I've decided it is OK with me, but the call will be made by my surgeon and the hospital. It did dawn on me that CryoLife might already have some footage of this surgery which could be used in the story, so I'll look into that.

Thank you all for your thoughts on this topic...you helped me be comfortable in making this decision. If indeed this proceeds with filming, I will try to get a copy, and make it available to pre-op folks on VR.com as a "loaner tape."

 

[John & Joann]

I have been involved in medical video. It may be possible for the TV Crew to be in a balcony with a barrier for sound, air flow, infection, etc.

My vote would be to let the doctor make the final decision. Maintain legal rights for you to release when and where the footabe is utilized.

God Bless!

 

[srwieland]

Some people I know have requested that their surgeries be videotaped because they considered it as a hedge against screwups and evidence if needed for a malpractice suit! I also know that ordinary videotaping is sometimes allowed on behalf of the patient and not just the hospital.

But, of course, that is very low tech compared to the kind of production you're confronted with.

I wanted to see a Discovery video of VR before my surgery, but was unable to. However, I did see one about a month after surgery and now am not sure I would have done as well to have seen it beforehand. The power saw for cutting and vise for pulling apart the breastbone, what to speak of cutting into the heart itself, was a lot more reality than I think I was prepared for at the time!

Good luck and God bless, John. By the way, if you see those CryoLife people, ask them why they think my new SynerGraft valve is leaking after less than a year post-op.

 

[John Cochran]

Steve,
I e-mailed you a while ago with some research on why your valve may be leaking. It was research from the Lerner Biomedical Intstitue (The Cleveland Clinic Foundation's biomedical arm) about pulmonary homografts placed in the aortic position. Perhaps you didn't receive it?

For the benefit of others, I'll put my biomedical engineer hat back on and explain. Steve has a CryoLife Synergraft PULMONARY valve placed in the aortic position. This surgery was performed before aortic SynerGraft valves became available. Steve reports that his valve now has (mild?) leakage.

The placement of the pulmonary valve in the aortic position is done in the Ross Procedure; however, this is a patient's own pulmonary valve (autograft) and is living tissue capable of "remodeling" itself to withstand the higher pressures within the aorta (the pulmonary valve is normally subjected to lower pressures than the aortic valve). But in Steve's case, the pulmonary valve was a homograft (from a donor) treated with SynerGraft technology. This valve could not remodel until it has been repopulated with the patient's own cells...which may take some time to occur.

The Lerner Biomedical Institute's research showed that a pulmonary homograft in the aortic position is subject to much more "flexing" than an aortic valve. When the implantation includes the root, the flexing over time may result in distortion of valve cusp alignment, hence the leakage (the latter comment is my personal interpretation of the data). The link to the research abstract is:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10678373&dopt=Abstract

The problem is not likely that there is anything fundamentally wrong with the valve, but rather that it has distorted some. As the valve repopulates and becomes living tissue, perhaps it may remodel some...but this is pure conjecture on my part. This is all new territory, and those considering this technology should all be aware there is no long-term track record.

Steve, I hope your situation improves, but I felt the need to respond to your implication that the problem was somehow CryoLife's.

--John

 

[srwieland]

Wow! Thank you very much, John. I'll show that info to my surgeon and cardiologist. Do you have the original text? I just emailed you with my new email address. It is [email protected]. I also updated my profile on this website, which explains why I never got the notices I just to get about subscribed threads, etc.

Oh, well. For now, I'm definitely doing better. If my body and this valve do rise to the occasion and remodel enough to avoid resurgery, that would be big news for me and for CryoLife! My surgeon doesn't expect it, but there's always a little hope.

Thanks again, John.

 

[jackc]

my surgery on tv??

my surgery on tv??

John,

As a former biology teacher, I share with those who say go for it!!
Any chance a person has to educate others is a glorious opportunity to do good for others.
Best of luck in your surgery and future "hollywood" career!!

Jack ( Welland )

 

[John Cochran]

Jack,
Thanks for your input...I think I'm going to do it. As far as the "hollywood" career--what, you didn't see me on TV defending O.J.???

 

[Don]

John's Surgery on TV

John's Surgery on TV

John, go for it. I need the input for my 2'nd AVR in 2013. I don't think that you will be able to control the output one bit, but hey .... Perhaps you will be able to weave the scenario into your upcoming novel. Best wishes, Don

 

[Gail in Ca]

I have the video and it's amazing

I have the video and it's amazing

John,
I have my video of my avr done 6/00. I think the camera was attached to the surgeons head some how.
I think it's cool and am glad to have it. My surgeon didn't hesitate when I asked for a video of my avr. It starts with him cutting thru the ascending aortic graft that I got in 89. Then it proceeds with the removal of the old porcine valve and then stitching the new mechanical up in readiness for placement, then it just stops before the valve was placed which was a bummer as I was thinking that would have been the best part to see. Then it starts up again when the valve was already done and they are sewing up the graft.
Then the end. I was amazed at all the sewing involved!
I say go ahead and have it videotaped, cause you will want to see it after it's all over.
Gail

 

[MarkU]

I would have jumped at the chance to get my AVR taped. I was both curious and fascinated by the entire process and had watched a couple of other AVR videos prior to my own surgery.
I found out too late that several of the operating rooms at my hospital have video cameras installed and they frequently do record surgeries (not only for educational purposes, but also for protection against malpractice charges during high risk procedures - I was told off the record.) They told me later that they probably would have recorded my surgery if I had known to ask ahead of time.

 

[Rain]

Go for it, John!

Go for it, John!

If the surgeon is comfortable with it... I'd "go for it" in a heartbeat.

I'd love to have a video of my heart surgery... I'd like to watch it. And who knows..... it could provide valuable details later in life.

Rain