Anxious about ANEURYSM

(Foreword: This is the continuation of our response to Macbeth of Generalao regarding her anxieties on aneurysm because her sister has just been diagnosed of this life-threatening disease.) Dear Macbeth of Generalao,

Now, let’s get to how aneurysm will be treated. Here, there are two ways. The right treatment depends on the size and shape of the aneurysm and where it is located in the brain. There is what we call as surgical clipping. This is an open brain surgery. The doctor here will use a metal clip to stop the blood flow to the aneurysm. Then, there is the endovascular coiling. In this procedure, the doctor puts a thin tube into the groin and then, up to the brain to take a ball of wire coils to the aneurysm. In this process, clots would form around the coils to keep the blood from flowing there. These procedures often give wonderful results. But, the cost is really to die for. I remember a story about a patient. The patient dies not because of the surgery that went successful, but, because of the cost of surgery that slashes her mouth in two when she exclaimed “HA? !!!! ” after hearing the cost of her surgery…hehe.

Then, here’s the sad part. We have to deal with this, even if it’s certainly sad because the complexities in life needed to be faced head on, even if we don’t want to talk about it, or the thought of it shudders our heart and wrecks our brain. So, what if it ruptures? What happens now? The treatment will entail more than what I laid down above. At this point, the treatment may also include an angioplasty. Here, the doctor uses a small balloon to widen a blocked artery. Then, there are drugs which will help with the blood flow, pain, seizures, and vasospasms, or when the blood vessels in the brain suddenly gets narrow. At this point, some people would need surgery to keep the fluid from building up in the brain, which will cause more pressure inside the brain, if not controlled. So, I do really hope that this rupture of the aneurysm would not happen, because it will cause not only so much tension and pain in the patient, but, the family as well, but also it will really cost more money to drain from the pocket.

Oh, oh, here we go again, we are running out of space, so, let me, continue this in my next issue. Until then! Dr. Fritz

(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is also a faculty in a College of Pharmacy. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we can not answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)