Has anyone had hepatic artery narrowing?

[pear-shaped]

Dear All,

I am back here again absolutely dumbfounded. My husband had a chance CT scan which revealed narrowing of the artery join to the aorta (he had an aneurysm repaired some years ago).

The team decided to get him in for a stent. Well, after a lot of deliberation and and hesitation. They did not do stent but angioplasty.

We have been told that the wire used was not able to get the stent through it, then told the stent was not able to be manipulated into the join.

Well, the shocking part is, I have a conversation (after 3 days of calling repeatedly) with a surgeon who told me that my husband would not be offered anymore real treatment to repair or try and correct this but he went on to confirm that they had a consensus within the team whereby they felt that the operation he had, that saved his life, was unethical and questioned the amount of surgery/treatment he has had.

We are seeking a second opinion (from the surgeon who did the artery repair all those years ago) and if this is hopeful will look to private healthcare to try and find a way.

Just wanted to see if anyone else had this sort of experience. Also if anyone has had stents/angioplasty and if it has worked/how long for?

Thank you.

Yours truly,

Pear.

[berties]

I'm so sorry to hear this pear-shaped. We keep fighting for our other halves don't we. It's an uphill struggle sometimes. My hubby has been poorly so far this year. Renal failure etc. To update he had the liver transplant in 2013. Stroke which left him slow and virtually blind in 2015. He's done well apart from recently. Last year we went on a 5 week cruise just before Xmas and he was checked out by urology and had a left kidney CT scan before we went. When we got back in January the consultant said they found some debris in the kidney but didn't know why. They wanted a biopsy asap. Then Covid happened and all clinical and GP care stopped, just like that! Shocking! Our surgery kept giving him ciprofloxacin antibiotics but he wasn't getting better so they eventually took blood. We waited 3 days for the GP to call back with the results but they didn't, just sent more antibiotics! I got a copy of the bloods and sent them to the liver team at Addenbrooks who contacted me. I had to rush him to a&e immediately. He had renal failure very poorly. This was mid April. Big risk to be in hospital in a Covid test ward because he had a temp! I was out of my mind with worry. Long story shortish... He's back in hospital now. Mri, CT scan and bloods daily. They put a kidney stent in on Saturday night. He was so much better on Sunday when I popped in. Turns out his left kidney was enlarged and infected caused by bruising! Well I didn't know what to think. Then they explained it could have happened months ago. He had a couple of trips in September last year one quite bad. We assume that he fell on his left side and damaged his kidney. It's taken this long to sort out. Hoping he'll be coming home today with the stent in place. They have never said they won't treat him or look after him! I don't think it's ethical to deny somebody treatment because they think you've had enough!

Get support from your transplant team and consultants. Get a solicitor too. After all that you have both been through you need support not condemnation. Sending virtual hugs and positive thoughts to you both. Xxx

[pear-shaped in reply to berties]

My Dearest friend,

What a awful ride we have been on! We are grateful for the transplant, please do not misunderstand me, but it is all the aftermath things that seem to not get picked up in time and if they do, we are given such conflicting prognosis.

Transplant patients are such fragile beings and one thing knocks another. The surgeon was quick to remind me that it was totally expected to have all this ongoing battles as once transplanted, you are always going to have something or another happen or 'conk out' as my ward friend (who I met and have become buddies with) tells me...

I am going to write to the said surgeon to just clarify a few things. My main aim is to try and find an answer to this problem before it becomes a huge issue and then irreversible.

Please keep us posted on how he gets on... Hoping they sort him out soon...

Sending you and your hubby lots and lots of love.

Yours truly,

Pear