Nancy
Well-known member
Here's the most likely possibility of what happened recently to Joe after his gallbladder removal and liver biopsy.
The second opinion on the pathology report has not come back yet, but this is what the thinking is on what happened to Joe. He did not have a hemorrhagic gallbladder, just filled with stones.
The doctors think the bleed was most likely caused by a condition called cardiac cirrhosis, which is caused by long term CHF. Joe's CHF has been carefully monitored, but this happened in spite of that. The inflammation of the liver set up a condition called autoanticoagulation and is most probably what was the cause of the post operative bleed.
From time to time I would notice that Joe's eyes would be slightly yellow looking, and that he looked jaundiced. The condition would go away, and his liver function tests were normal. So it seems to be related to his bouts of CHF which come and go.
In the interest of helping us all be healthier in spite of these difficult heart conditions, I would urge all of you who have CHF, to keep a careful eye on yourself. Pay attention to any pain in the right side, and keep a look out for jaundice. You might also ask your PCP to check your liver from time to time for this condition.
I wouldn't want anything like this to come up and bite you when you least expect it.
I hope I haven't scared anyone, but perhaps this will help someone in the future.
By the way, Joe is doing well, and is still in the hospital, but off all IVs and oxygen. He's walking and eating, still has a drain line, but he's back on Coumadin, so things are getting back to normal.
I am so thankful to all his wonderful doctors, the General Surgeon, the cardiology team, the ICU team, his hematologists, and all of their PAs, plus the excellent nursing staff. He wouldn't have made it without such care.
Here is a link: http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic275.htm
Take care and be well.
The second opinion on the pathology report has not come back yet, but this is what the thinking is on what happened to Joe. He did not have a hemorrhagic gallbladder, just filled with stones.
The doctors think the bleed was most likely caused by a condition called cardiac cirrhosis, which is caused by long term CHF. Joe's CHF has been carefully monitored, but this happened in spite of that. The inflammation of the liver set up a condition called autoanticoagulation and is most probably what was the cause of the post operative bleed.
From time to time I would notice that Joe's eyes would be slightly yellow looking, and that he looked jaundiced. The condition would go away, and his liver function tests were normal. So it seems to be related to his bouts of CHF which come and go.
In the interest of helping us all be healthier in spite of these difficult heart conditions, I would urge all of you who have CHF, to keep a careful eye on yourself. Pay attention to any pain in the right side, and keep a look out for jaundice. You might also ask your PCP to check your liver from time to time for this condition.
I wouldn't want anything like this to come up and bite you when you least expect it.
I hope I haven't scared anyone, but perhaps this will help someone in the future.
By the way, Joe is doing well, and is still in the hospital, but off all IVs and oxygen. He's walking and eating, still has a drain line, but he's back on Coumadin, so things are getting back to normal.
I am so thankful to all his wonderful doctors, the General Surgeon, the cardiology team, the ICU team, his hematologists, and all of their PAs, plus the excellent nursing staff. He wouldn't have made it without such care.
Here is a link: http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic275.htm
Take care and be well.
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