A year ago, I had an angioplasty. I was that one in how many thousand whose main artery was cut during the procedure. A very talented surgeon saved my life. I can find very little information about this happening as I think it is very rare. I am wondering if anyone ever had a similar experience.

Patty,

I would say that such damage to a coronary blood vessel is very uncommon. But I think that it happens enough that VERY rare or even RARE might make it seem less significant than it really is.

Undoubtedly you, like I, had to sign an athotization for immediate thoracic surgery before the procedure was begun. In the hospital that I had it done, they would NOT proceed until the named heart surgeon was standing by. So they know the risks.

I too can find very little on the precise ODDS of this happening. And the reason is probably becasue the doctors who experience/cause it are probably LOATHE to stand up and be counted.

The most common numbers given for not leaving the hospital afer angioplasty seem to hover around 1%, but that's death from many causes.

I am glad that you had a successful bypass...I assume that was how they rectified the hemorrage.

Yes, they did a bypass. I too have figured out that it is very rare. As you say, not much information from anyone, probably don't want to talk about it. I was in fact not expected to survive the surgery or the next 6 hours or the next 24 but I guess I'm tough. I have a feeling there are no survival rate statistics for a good reason. That is why I came here, I thought I might find another like me.

Patty,

There was ONE person with the same problem who posted here several months ago, but I cannot quite remember the particulars.

I had a artery tear during Angioplasty, causeing a heart attack. The tear was the full length of the artery, and caused by stent being to large for size of artery, months later I had the stent placed by another doctor I mite add, because I keep having chest pains now I'm doing fine, the artery was 90% blocked, and When they torn the artery and I started having the heart attack they just stop and done no more. Sorry I can't explain this better in medical terms, but I'm no good at things like that. This was a very bad experience for me, I am now so scared of any procedure. I feel for you, did you have a heart attack when this happend, and what did they do. Just wondering because I feel I didn't get the right care. I have two stents now.

I have had very little in the way of explanation. There was no heart attack. They cut the artery and I basically "died". They told my husband they would try to save me but unlikey I would survive surgery. I did and then I had to get through 6 hours and then 24 hours. I guess I am tough. They ended up doing a triple bypass so I was in surgery a very long time. I am fine now but since it wasn't "controlled" surgery, even now after a year, my incision hurts if I do anything and my leg is a disaster, no more shorts for me but I guess that should be the least of my worries. As I say, I can't find any statistics on what happened to me so it must be very rare.

Patty,
I think I may be the one Lenin is talking about. I had a cath done 2 1/2yrs ago and had my left main artery cut. Was life flighted for immediate dbl by-pass. Took 4 hours to get me into surgery and I suffered 3 heart attacks. I too had a surgeon save my life and every time she came in the room to talk to me she said that she and I should not be having this conversation.(meaning I should not have have survived it) God must have a reason to have kept me here. 5 weeks later both the grafts shutdown an I went into severe cardiogenic shock. Was in ICU for 11 days and have been riding the ride ever since. There had been so much damage done to my heart I now have a 19% EF, 30% of my left ventricle is dead. I have been on the National transplant list since Oct of last year. It is my only option for life. The reason you can't find out much on this subject-first very few that this happens to survive to tell the story. It is about 1 in every 5,000. They try to down play the risks of this procedure but for those of of us that missed the odds it is one of the most real,scary,and life alterting risks that will change our lives forever. Once I'm well enough again I think I may still have some fight in me to try to make this a better known statisic. I wish I had known how 'bout you?
Holly

I feel ill just reading these postings, I really hope you get the transplant and continue to prove everyone wrong..but damn I never would have made it through what you had to do so you must be strong..and I am only 42 years old..I just know I would have given up. Keep fighting and good luck to both of you.