What is a thoracic aortic aneurysm?

What is a thoracic aortic aneurysm?

The aorta is the largest artery in your body, and it carries blood away from your heart to all the parts of your body. The part of your aorta that runs through your chest is called the thoracic aorta (this where Joel's problem is) and, when your aorta reaches your abdomen, it is called the abdominal aorta.

When a weak area of your thoracic aorta expands or bulges, it is called a thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA). Approximately 25 percent of aortic aneurysms occur in the chest, and the rest involve the abdominal aorta. Again, Joel's is in his chest.

Thoracic aortic aneurysms are a serious health risk because they can burst or rupture. A ruptured aneurysm can cause severe internal bleeding, which can rapidly lead to shock or death.
Thoracic aneurysms affect approximately 15,000 people in the United States each year. We seem to be 1 Percenters in this family. Only about 20 to 30 percent of patients who get to the hospital with a ruptured TAA survive. For this reason, it is crucial to treat large aneurysms early, in order to prevent their rupture. Thank God Joel's was caught. These doctors are so amazingly comprehensive here! They are repairing it with a stent graft as I type this.

What is Endovascular Stent Graft Repair?

Endovascular means that the treatment is performed inside your body using long, thin tubes called catheters. The catheters are inserted in small incisions in your groin, and sometimes your arms, and are guided through your blood vessels. During the procedure, Joel's surgeon will use live x-ray pictures viewed on a video screen to guide a stent-graft to the site of his aneurysm --upper part of his aorta. Like the graft used in open surgery, this stent-graft allows blood to flow through his aorta without putting pressure on the damaged wall of his aneurysm. This keeps his aneurysm from rupturing. Over time, his aneurysm should shrink.

With the endovascular stent-graft repair, it is particularly important that long-term follow-up with periodic scans of the aortic repair be done to be sure that the stent-graft is functioning properly. Sometimes further procedures are required to maintain the stent-graft if leaks develop or if it moves out of position. But, none of this should be a big deal because have transferred all Joel's medical records here and all of his follow up care and any future medical needs will be done here at Northwestern.

Got him on the heart and lung machine

Just got an update from OR room - they've successfully got him on the heart and lung machine now. Will post more when I hear back.

Tests are a good thing!

We arrived at 6:30 am and were able to meet with the team of doctors before he has taken away for his surgery. I've never seen so many doctors and assistants(20 or so) for one patient. Wow. He is in great hands. Melissa hand picked all the doctors and assistants and nurses for Joel's surgery. She referred to them as the "A Team" :).

Joel had an MRI and MRA yesterday and they found that he actually has another problem...he has an aneurysm in his aorta (what John Ritter died from). So, they will be taking care of that too during the open heart surgery and hopefully, putting a graft in, if possible. Otherwise, they will put a tissue valve in. This complicates the surgery a little more and they expect the surgery to be about 6 hours. He will also be in the hospital for at least week now.We are so lucky this was caught because aorta aneurysms have no symptoms -- until after the fact. Joel's cardiologist said last week -- she wanted to just do a little more checking and a few more test -- thank GOD she did. They called us late last night to inform us of the test results. Par for the course :).

His team of docs and nurses are calling me throughout his surgery with updates. I just got the first call five minutes ago. They cut him open at 9:15 and when they get him on the heart and lung machine -- they will let me know.

That's all for now. Love, Michelle

Yippeeee!!!

Just got a phone call from Melissa at Northwestern University. Dr. Rigolin (Cardiologist) and Dr. McCarthy (Surgeon) have fully reviewed Joel's records.

He needs open heart surgery-- mitral valve repair-- as his posterior valve is fully ruptured and while the anterior valve is a little loose – it’s nothing too bad. They are very confident they can REPAIR the valve and insert a ring to tighten the area up rather than having to a replacement. WHOO HOOO!

They, too, are amazed that Joel has no symptoms as the rupture is significant. His ejection fraction rate (how heart pumps blood) is around 35 percent and they’d like it to be around 55-65 percent. They want to move fast and get this corrected before more damage occurs. The repair should help improve his overall heart function.

We will be headed to Northwestern next Thursday, April 30th, to meet the doctor and surgeon. Joel will undergo another ECHO (to make sure no more damage has occurred since the last set of tests). Surgery will occur, most likely, within the first or second week of May.

While open heart surgery is a big deal, we are SO thankful to God that this has been caught before too much irreparable damage has occurred and that we have surgery as an option. Dr. McCarthy’s area of expertise is mitral valve surgery.

Joel will be in the hospital for 5-7 days after the surgery and then come home for 8-12 weeks of recovery of which he will not be allowed to work. He also won’t be able to drive for 4 weeks after his surgery and will be on Coumadin and low blood pressure medication during his recovery – with the end goal – to win him off over time.

Thank you for all of your prayers, support and love. Keep those prayers coming because they are working!

We are looking forward to getting this behind us so that we can enjoy the summer with our girls and hit all the fun chicken fry’s on Lake Springfield with Miller Lites in hand :).

With Love,
Michelle

PS – Melissa you are a GODSEND! Thank you for everything!!!

Things do happen for a reason...

This weekend my Aunt Carla called to see how we were doing. I expressed my frustration that things were moving SLOWLY and that I felt like a gerbil in a cage --spinning my wheel as fast as I could yet getting nowhere. I also expressed how I felt Joel was just a “number” to many people and likened our experience, thus far, to being in a herd of cattle.

Carla offered me some reassurance in saying all things happened for a reason and that God had us in the palm of his hand and we needed to trust in Him. Yes, I know this but I did need a reminder. Thank you, Aunt Carla. I felt so much better after our call.

Within 2 minutes of hanging up with her, I had received an email from my lifelong friend’s (Derek Fraley) fiancé, Melissa Shyrock. Melissa had read Joel’s blog and emailed me to see how we were doing. While I knew Melissa was in the medical field – I wasn’t sure to what capacity.

Through our exchange of emails, I found out that Melissa is a Physician Assistant of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation in Chicago and she works for Dr. Patrick McCarthy.

After a few emails back and forth, Melissa and I had a long phone conversation about our situation. She immediately offered to help in anyway that she could.

Dr. McCarthy is specialist for Joel’s particular heart condition. Prior to accepting a position at Northwestern, Dr, McCarthy practiced at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 1990 until March 2004 with Dr. Lytle. Dr. Lytle is the doctor at Cleveland Clinic that Joel was referred to.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe I couldn’t my ears (or rather cochlear implants :)).

Melissa offered to get Joel’s records read by Dr. McCarthy for another opinion and I quickly took her up on her offer.

Melissa called me first thing this morning to let me know that she had spoken to the doctor and he was awaiting our medical records and would review them as soon as they received them. Talk about customer service!!!

I am picking up all of Joel’s records at 2pm this afternoon and will be FEDEXing them to Northwestern today. They should have them by tomorrow morning. The doctor will then review them and make a determination on if he thinks he can help us and then schedule us for a consult and more testing.

Wow! Had Joel’s records not been delayed in getting to CC, we would have probably already had an appointment there. Of course, we are not ruling out any options and if CC is where we need to be then we will go there. On the other hand, I can say, without a doubt, I know Joel wouldn’t just be a number at Northwestern. Melissa has offered to be our medical advocate and assist on Joel’s case. Melissa, thank you from the bottom of my heart, words can’t express my gratitude.


For those of you asking what you can do to help? Please pray that Dr. McCarthy has the experience, expertise and knowledge to help Joel.


Once again, I am reminded that things do happen for a reason. And, yes, Aunt Carla, God does have us in the palm of his hand.

Love, Michelle

About Dr. McCarthy


Patrick M. McCarthy, MD
Previous | Search Again | Return To Results List | Next

Medical Education: Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine 1980
Residency: Mayo Clinic-Rochester
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic-Rochester 1988
Fellowship: Stanford University Hospital 1989
Board Certification: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
Specialty: Cardiac Surgery
Clinical Interests: Valve Repair/Replacement, Mitral Valve Repair, Atrial Fibrillation Surgery, Maze Procedure, Aortic Aneurysm, Coronary Bypass Surgery, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy / Myectomy, Minimally Invasive Surgery

= This doctor accepts new patients. For important legal notice, click here

Request an appointment Electronically (new patients only)
You may also call Northwestern Memorial's Physician Referral Service at 1.877.926.4NMH (4664) to arrange an appointment
Biographical Sketch | Publications

Practice Contact Information
Website: www.nmff.org

675 N. St. Clair, Galter 19-100
Chicago, IL 60611
P: (312)695-4965
View Map

Please contact the physician's office to verify that your insurance is currently accepted.
Biographical Sketch
Patrick M. McCarthy, MD has distinguished himself as both a clinician and researcher in the field of cardiac surgery. On April 1, 2004, Dr. McCarthy became professor of surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine; co-director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute; and the chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In recognition of his continued, outstanding achievements, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine named Dr. McCarthy the Heller-Sacks Professor of Surgery on November 9, 2006.

Until March 11, 2004, Dr. McCarthy was the surgical director of the Kaufman Center for Heart Failure at the Cleveland Clinic. While there, he was the first occupant of the George M. and Linda H. Kaufman Endowed Chair.

Dr. McCarthy has achieved national and international recognition in the fields of complex adult cardiac surgery including, valves, cardiac transplantation, mechanical ventricular assist devices, coronary artery bypass, minimally invasive surgery, aneurysm repair and atrial fibrillation ablation. He has performed several thousand heart operations, averaging 400 per year. He has authored or co-authored more than 300 papers and 30 book chapters. He is on the editorial board of four medical journals and is a member and officer in numerous professional societies.

He was one of the youngest surgeons ever to be elected into the prestigious American Association of Thoracic Surgeons at the age of 38. He has given over 325 lectures, has been Visiting Professor 34 times and has lectured on six continents.

Dr. McCarthy developed the Edwards "MC3" three-dimensional annuloplasty system for the repair of tricuspid regurgitation. He also recently modified this three-dimensional design concept to develop a ring to repair the mitral valve called the "Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams IMR Et logix" ring. He has more patents pending and projects underway to facilitate other valve operations, minimally invasive heart operations, and catheter-based approaches to valve disease.

Dr. McCarthy is a graduate of Notre Dame and Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine. He completed his general and cardiac surgery training at the Mayo Clinic and completed a special heart and lung transplantation fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center. He practiced at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 1990 until March 2004.

Hurry up and wait.

Sigh. So, we've been waiting and waiting and waiting for Joel's records to get to Cleveland. They were to get there Monday of last week. However, they didn't get there until Thursday. Dr. Lytle began reviewing them on Friday and as luck would have it...the films were bad and he couldn't read any of the records. So, they called the Springfield office and requested they resend the records. Stuff like this just irritates the heck out of me. To make the situation more unnerving, Dr. Lytle is out this entire week on vacation so he won't be able to read the films until next week. Finally, they won't let us schedule an appointment until the records can be read to ensure Dr. Lytle is the right Dr for Joel. I will post more when I know more.

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!

Michelle