Health Wonders - Winter 2009 - (Page 4)

Joe Prosser, 53, survived three aortic aneurysms ” Serious A lifesaving surgery after a Chardon man suffers three aortic aneurysms “I Knew it Was Fifteen years ago, Joe Prosser’s father was successfully treated for an aortic aneurysm. At that time, everyone in Prosser’s family were advised to get screened for vascular disease. “I never got checked,” says Prosser, who was in his late 30s when his father was treated. “Then a year ago last November, I was taking a shower and I started getting a solid burn from the middle of my back down to the back of my knee. I have a high tolerance for pain, but I’d never felt anything like that. I felt like I was failing fast.” Prosser was rushed to the Norma N. Chapman Emergency Center at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, 23 miles away from his West Farmington home. Fortunately, vascular specialists Howard Darvin, M.D. and Mark Goldberg, M.D. were at the hospital and available to respond immediately. 4 Winter 2009 “I heard them make the call,” says Prosser, “‘Code red, Dr. Darvin.’ When I heard his name, I knew it was serious. Dr. Darvin operated on my father’s aneurysm 15 years earlier.” It turned out Prosser had three ruptured aortic aneurysms “the size of Nerf footballs.” The capabilities at UH Geauga Medical Center includes the latest laparoscopic vascular surgeries—techniques which create an incision no larger than a human fingernail—but under these emergency circumstances, a highly invasive procedure was called for. “The surgery is called an aortobiiliac bypass, and we needed to act quickly,” recalls Dr. Darvin, who performed the life-saving surgery with Dr. Goldberg. “Joe’s aneurysms were the largest I’ve ever operated on. They were about 12 centimeters. The normal size of the blood vessel is about two centimeters.” The operation was a success, but Prosser’s recovery took several months. Ultimately, the tall, lanky Chardon native, now 53, was able to go back to his job as a Geauga County highway worker last summer. Considering the statistics that accompany aneurysm cases, Prosser realizes he’s fortunate to be able to go anywhere at all. “Of the people who have aneurysms that rupture, only about three percent survive,” notes Dr. Darvin. “However, if we can discover an aneurysm before it bursts, the numbers flipflop, so that about 97 percent do well. That’s why it’s vital for people with risk factors or a family history to see their doctor for vascular screening.” Joe Prosser is now encouraging his family to get screened, just like he did 15 years ago. “This was a life-changing experience,” he says. “You couldn’t win the lottery and have better luck. I got the grand prize.”  Check out our website at www.UHGeauga.org http://www.UHGeauga.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Health Wonders - Winter 2009

Health Wonders - Winter 2009 Contents CEO Excited About Cutting-Edge Technology New Procedure Means Less Recovery Time An Amazing Story of Survival Home is Where the Heart Is In Need of a Support Group? Get to Know Eight New Faces

Health Wonders - Winter 2009

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