Did you hear Rachel Maddow re: Cheney's health?

[Skidmore]

A few minutes ago she read something about the type of procedure he underwent which suggested that he is much more ill than they are letting on. That this perhaps was an alternative procedure conducted to avoid the stress of a general anethesia. Also that the presence of aneurysms behind the knees usually indicates the presence of an aortic aneurysm.

Medical folks, tell me more.

[Dover]

1. Hmmm....I really would hate for Cheney to miss out on the war crimes trial

that's ahead. He and Dubya could be cell mates! How would that be for a living hell?

[itzamirakul]

8. Cheney will never go on trial even if he is found

in bed with a dead hooker or a boyscout.

He will always be considered to ill to stand trial and therefore "too delicate." After all, this is the United States of Haliburton."

[hlthe2b]

9. Can't we try Lynn instead?

:evilgrin:

[ladylibertee]

2. Hmmmmmm

:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: I sure hope all is well :sarcasm:

[leveymg]

3. Cheney is about to retire - Bush to follow.

[madeline_con]

6. Hope springs eternal...

dream on. :hi:

[pecwae]

4. My mother died of anesthesia

complications weeks after aortic aneurysm surgery and she had the surgery before the aneurysm burst. Chances of survival after it bursts are not the best from surgical intervention much less the anesthesia from all I researched.

[GeorgeGist]

5. My wife who does vascular ultrasound...

agrees that "the presence of aneurysms behind the knees usually indicates the presence of an aortic aneurysm". Given his medical entourage it may mean that fixing his aortic aneurysm is too risky. :$.02:

[Dover]

10. My grandmother died of an aortic aneurysm. Are vascular ultrasounds

the main way to test for the problem?

I wonder how they might have caught my grandmother's problem before it was too late?

ON EDIT: Just found this in another article about Cheney which answers my question:

It's much more common in men," said Dr. George Clark, a vascular surgeon in Raleigh. "Much more common in male smokers, usually after age 60 to 65."

Ultrasound and angiogram images offer the best way to diagnose the condition.

[hlthe2b]

13. Yes... and given his penchant for heavy clothing in warm weather...

One can reasonably conclude his peripheral circulation is shit...

I can't put out the thoughts that lie just under the surface for this guy--karmic implications to put those kind of thoughts out there...

So, I'll simply say he has much to answer for and his "lack of heart" for others seems to be manifest.

[Dover]

Excerpt from LA Times about the procedure:

Unlike aneurysms of the aorta, aneurysms behind the knee do not tend to burst. But they are dangerous because they can form blood clots that block blood flow at the knee or travel to the foot and cut off circulation there. Such clots often occur with no warning.

"If they clot off, there's probably a 50% chance of losing your leg, whereas if you fix them electively it becomes a couple of percent," said Dr. Steven G. Katz, professor of clinical surgery at USC's Keck School of Medicine.

Surgery to treat the aneurysm takes two to three hours and can be done several ways. Commonly, the aneurysm is tied off and a vein from the calf or thigh is used to construct a bypass from above the site of the aneurysm to below it.

"It should be relatively low risk, as long as it's electively repaired before a blood clot forms," said Dr. Peter F. Lawrence, chief of vascular surgery at UCLA. Success is much lower if patients arrive at the emergency room with their foot deprived of blood, he said.

Risk factors for aneurysms behind the knee, known as popliteal aneurysms, include smoking, aging, existing heart disease and family history.

People with popliteal aneurysms are more prone to aneurysms generally. About 60% to 70% of people with a popliteal aneurysm will go on to develop an aneurysm at another site, Lawrence said. Therefore, other common places for aneurysms such as the other knee, the aorta and the femoral artery should also be checked in such patients, he said.

Associated Press reported that Cheney's vascular exam, which uncovered the aneurysm, identified "small, dilated segments of the arteries behind both knees."..cont'd

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cheney17sep17,1,3385177.story?coll=la-story-footer&track=morenews

[Dover]

7. *

[LosinIt]

11. my research results:

http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/sec3/ch44/ch44e.html

Aneurysms tend to enlarge, particularly if subjected to the wear and tear caused by high blood pressure. However, they tend to enlarge slowly. The larger the aneurysm, the greater the chance of rupture. Rupture is unlikely for abdominal aortic aneurysms smaller than 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide, for thoracic aortic aneurysms smaller than 2½ inches (6 centimeters) wide, and for most leg artery aneurysms.

[in_cog_ni_to]

12. I heard a report from a doctor who said it was VERY dangerous to

do that procedure on BOTH sides of the body at the same time. Doctors USUALLY do one side to make sure the procedure goes well and then weeks or months later do the other side if all went well on the first.

I also heard on C-SPAN that the procedure Cheney had was NOT FDA APPROVED. Which means HIS insurance company won't cover it. WHICH MEANS, WE, THE PEOPLE, GET TO PAY FOR IT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL COVER HIS OPTIONAL SURGERY. Must be nice, eh? He's a FUCKING MILLIONAIRE and WE have to pay for his damn surgery? THAT pisses me off.