ECP - External Counter Pulsaion

[valeriedl]

I don't know if any has had this done, or if any one know's any one who has had this done who could let me know how well it worked and what it was like when they had it done. Any type of side effects or reactions.

My grandma has %100 blockage to her heart from her arteries. She's already had heart surgery and is unable to have it again so the dr's suggested she try this.

I've done ALOT of reading up on it on the internet and watched videos of people having it done. It seems like it's very simple and she doesn't have anything to worry about while having it done. They put something that looks like blood pressure cuffs on her whole legs and thighs. They pump really fast to get the smaller blood vessles to work stronger to get the blood moving to her heart since the major arteries aren't able to do it.

It works %80 of the time and I told her that she better be in the %80! She's like my best friend and I don't know what I'd do with out her.

Any one who knows personally about it would be great help.

[epileric]

Personally I would have your grandma ask her professional if she's a candidate and why or why not.

To my unprofessional opinion it sounds like forcing blood through like that might be a bit much for someone of her age, especially if she's too old for another operation.

[valeriedl]

Her dr was the one who suggested it.

It's not that she's too old it's that she has had neck in the past surgery and they are unable to move her head back to get it and her chin out of the way to beable to get into her chest easily.

[valeriedl]

It really doesn't "force" the blood through the other blood vessles, it just helps the smaller ones work better and stronger so that the blood can get to her heart through them since it isn't able to go through the main arteries.

[dIMITRI]

The doctors should suggest her heart transplant i guess. As if it did not work they have to take the second option which is transplant why not make it first.

[valeriedl]

She's already decided that she doesn't want to have any type of surgery, she's 84 years old.

I just wanted to know if any one has went through this, or knows any one who has and tell me what the treatments are like. We've read about it in the flyers the dr's gave her and done some research on the internet, but I just wanted to hear from a real person to tell me what it was actually like while you are laying on the table having it done.