Surgery update April 13,2012

Things are somewhat grim for Ajay. We spoke to the surgeon and he reluctantly told us there is nothing more he can do. Ajay, and his left lung have run into problems. He had to disconnect all the shunts and conduit that were placed Friday due to extreme clotting and blockage. The amount of blood traveling through the shut T's were too much for the very tiny vessels, or collaterals to handle, resulting in extreme clotting through the entire pathway. It left the surgeon no choice but to take it out. Ajay's collateral were few, and very tiny for the surgeon to work with. He said the collateral were at best, as big as a tip of an ink pen, at its widest point. He also said they were so weak, that it was the consistency of tissue paper. The amount of volume of blood needed to run through the shunts could not keep up with the tiny openings to flow adequately. So the blood clotted because it had no where to go.

So Ajay now has lost more left lung function then he came in with on Friday. Its no ones fault, its just that the surgeons had very little to work with from the start.

So where do we go from here? Ajay will only have an estimated 10% lung function on the left assuming he recovers and they can keep him stable. The surgeon suggested since we are here, to close him up for now, and meet with other team members to see if its possible to go back to the right lung, and make that opening better to be able to handle blood coming from the left side as well as maintain adequate pressure for both sides. The team will run more tests to see of Ajay can with stand another open heart procedure, loss of blood, extreme clotting issues, etc. And then be put on a heart lung machine to see if right lung will be able to handle the flow for both lungs. The left lung is no longer able to with stand normal lung function. Although he will still have a lung, it will only function at 10%. With that in mind, Ajay only has 2/3 of his right lung functioning, so this extra load from the left lung will definitely be extremely more difficult for Ajay to breathe.

At this point, we are not sure of the outcome, but know Ajay will give his best fight. Until the team makes a new plan, Ajay will be sleeping deeply to avoid any stimulation, so that he would be able to breathe peacefully.

I am sure that the team will make a decision after tests are completed and blood studies are taken into consideration. Lots of data will need to be gathered before a definite answer will be given. Our surgeon wants to be absolutely sure that we are giving him the best odds.