New Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surveillance Program Saves Patient’s Life

(SACREMENTO)

Like many people, the last thing Tim Stottlemeyer wanted to do was go to the doctor after a head-on collision.

“I was so upset that I had crashed my car and was busy replacing it that I didn’t feel like I had time to go to the doctor,” Stottlemyer recalled.

A few months after the accident, Stottlemyer began severe stomach cramps. At the insistence of the family, he went to the doctor, and soon an ultrasound revealed a small abdominal aortic aneurysm. This is a faint raised area at the site of the aorta passing through the abdominal cavity.

“Fortunately, my doctor explained that it was a small aneurysm and I didn’t need surgery, but it needed to be controlled,” Stottlemyer said. “I felt relieved just knowing why my stomach hurt.”

Abdominal aortic aneurysms that were discovered prior to rupture need to be measured, carefully monitored, and evaluated for treatment. Small aneurysms, less than five centimeters in diameter, can often be left untreated but need to be checked or checked periodically.

Following his appointment, Stottlemyer returned to his busy daily life. He still experienced stomach cramps from time to time, but he felt comforting, at least knowing their cause.

Man leaning against a tree with crossed arms
Tim Stottlemeyer is one of 13 patients who underwent life-saving surgery as part of the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surveillance Program.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t take care of my aneurysm,” Stottlemyer said. “Life picks up and you keep thinking you’re going to make an appointment soon to get tested, but it just falls through.”

Stottlemyer then received a call from a UC Davis Health nurse navigator who explained that she was calling because the new Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surveillance Program had identified him as a patient in need of follow-up for his aneurysm.

“When I got the call, I thought it was a sign that I needed to get tested,” Stottlemyer recalled.

During his follow-up visit, it was discovered that Stottlemyer’s aneurysm had grown and he needed surgery to fix it before it ruptured.

Open aneurysm repair

Stottlemyer was quickly scheduled for surgery at UC Davis Medical Center. He underwent an open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, in which a large incision is made in the abdomen to repair the aneurysm. A cylindrical tube called a graft is often used during the procedure. Grafts are made from various materials such as:

  • Dacron (textile polyester synthetic material)
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, non-textile synthetic material)

This graft is sutured to the aorta, connecting a healthy aorta at each end of the aneurysm to replace the affected segment. Open repair is considered the surgical standard for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

“We were lucky to identify Tim’s need for surgery before his aneurysm ruptured,” explained Mimmi Kwong, associate professor of vascular surgery who performed the surgery. “About 50% of patients with ruptured aneurysms don’t even make it to the hospital.”

Three days after the operation, Stottlemyer began to walk around the hospital and was soon discharged home.

“Efforts like our new surveillance program are saving lives,” Kwong added. “Being able to identify patients like Tim who were found to have aneurysms and who for whatever reason did not receive follow-up care allows us to treat their aneurysms when they are smaller and before they rupture. This makes their procedures much less complicated and minimizes the risk of death.”

Innovative Surveillance Program

In collaboration with AI software company Illuminate, UC Davis Health launched its centralized abdominal aortic aneurysm surveillance program in June 2022. -up” because they missed care during the pandemic or other factors.

“One of our goals is to ease the burden of aortic surveillance on primary care physicians,” explained Meredith Hickerson, lead clinical nurse navigator for the surveillance program. “We are sending reminders to health care providers that patients are due for imaging. This process serves as a safety net for patients and healthcare providers to ensure timely, lifelong monitoring of the aorta.”

In the first eight months, the program identified more than 11,600 patients with AAA who could benefit from monitoring. More than 10,600 patients have been examined and 950 patients who have fallen out of care are currently under active observation and observation by navigator nurses.

Of these, 96 patients attended UC Davis Health, resulting in 151 diagnostic imaging studies, one diagnostic angiogram, and 13 life-saving AAA surgical procedures.

“Using the Illuminate software, our nurse navigators were able to efficiently view patients with aortic aneurysms and identify patients overdue for follow-up,” Hickerson added. “This program is a perfect illustration of the high quality of care provided at UC Davis Health, as we have invested in technology and services to provide follow-up care and, in doing so, have been able to save lives.”

Grateful and healed

Stottlemyer celebrated the new year by returning to work just three months after his surgery.

“I’m just so grateful for the care I received and for where I am right now,” Stottlemyer said. “When you get the call, you don’t know what to expect – a lot of anxiety comes into your head when you hear about an aneurysm. Knowing that I was under follow-up care was very comforting and helped me gain the trust of my doctors.”

Similar stories

Abdominal aortic aneurysm surveillance program saves lives

Content Source

California Press News – Latest News:
Los Angeles Local News || Bay Area Local News || California News || Lifestyle News || National news || Travel News || Health News

Related Articles

Back to top button