A Co-Worker found out she has a 5mm anny a couple of weeks ago. They went into coil it January 25th. Everything I had read stated she would be put to sleep but she wasn't. Is that normal? They ended up saying that it was wide-neck so they had to stent it. She has to follow up in 4 weeks then they will schedule her coiling. I thought they could do it all in one procedure. She is extremely upset that it couldn't be completed and that she as to go through it again. She is extremely emotional and can't quit crying. Just trying to see what the "norm" is. Trying to offer her words of encouragement but I don't know what she is going through.
Thanks.
Ashley
Ashley,
I understand people can be given an angio w/o being put to sleep; which is great for those who can, and want to see what is being done...The neuros likely gave her a Patient Info pamphlet and showed her the images where the stent is located; there are marker bands at both ends to track location.
Some stents are FDA approved to be implanted w/coiling of a wide-neck aneurysm. I have heard from others that their stent was implanted before coiling; there is likely a healing purpose. There is another that can be implanted for other reasons than coiling. If you want to research those on the FDA site; put any of these HDE #'s in search: H020002, H050001 or H060001. The FDA site did not have complete patient labeling data on H020002; the md labeling came up; do not know if that has been revised. The pamphlets do not necessarily provide these FDA #'s.
One of the promotionals on coiling (and stenting) is being able to do that under the same detailed diagnostic angio to reduce the numbers of time to go in. Also, read thru this BAF site; think it has info about potential hair loss, etc. ...that can vary from patient to patient.
Likely the hospital's website has info on coiling/stenting; those often do not provide the FDA #'s;
This is all my basic interp, opinion of what I have read... I have no expertise...
Ashely, you're being a great friend; hope your friend can understand she is likely being given the best possible care; do ask her about the patient info pamphlet, if she saw, was shown the stent implant. She may have been able to view that during the process. Hope the FDA, hospital and BAF sites will be helpful.
If she remains stressed, suggest she go back in w/questions/concerns; a family member, or a friend could accompany her if she needs it.
Pat
Hi Ashley,
I can only tell you what my Dr. recently told me. If we were going to stent my annie, which already has 16 coils in it, he'd insert the stent first, then 6 weeks later, we'd do the recoiling. The reason for the time in between was to let the stent "settle" so it doesn't move during the coiling. I believe they call that migration.
I think your co-worker is VERY lucky she didn't have a rupture. I know it probably doesn't seem that way to her right now because it's a very scary situation, but she truly does have the luxury of making decision and choices because it's not a ruptured aneurysm.
Just stay close to her and offer the encouragement you're doing. That's all you can do....you're a good friend.
Heidi
I had coils and 22mm stent done at the same time - by one of the most experienced neurosurgeons, so it's def possible to do it at once - but I imagine her doctor has some reasoning why he didn't do it that way. Maybe it was that once mine was packed w coils, they were at risk of falling out so they stented - not sure - there wasn't a firm plan to stent prior to surgery, but he felt it was needed, and Im so glad I have it, feels like an insurance policy.