WASHINGTON -- my question is........IS anyone Upset?
Wed Jul 14, 5:09 PM
Former US vice president Dick Cheney, pictured in 2009, had a new heart device implanted when he was operated on last week, he said in a statement on Wednesday
Former Vice President Dick Cheney disclosed Wednesday that he has undergone surgery to install a small pump to help his heart work, as the 69-year-old enters a new phase of what he called "increasing congestive heart failure."
"The operation went very well and I am now recuperating," a still-hospitalized Cheney said in a statement.
The kind of heart pump that Cheney received can be implanted next to the heart to help its main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, pump blood through the body. Such devices are used mainly for short periods, to buy potential transplant candidates time as they await a donor organ.
But they are being studied for use as a permanent therapy for people with severe heart failure who aren't transplant candidates.
The surgery took place last week at Inova Fairfax Heart and Vascular Institute in Washington's Northern Virginia suburbs, where Cheney was receiving care Wednesday.
A longtime face of the Republican Party, Cheney has dealt with heart problems much of his adult life, suffering five heart attacks since age 37. He said the latest step, the implanting of a pump called a left ventricular assist device, will allow him to resume an active life.
About 5 million Americans have congestive heart failure in which the heart weakens over time - often as a result of heart attacks - and cannot pump enough blood. Heart transplants are one solution, but few patients find a donor and many are too old or sick for a transplant.
The heart pump Cheney received, known as an LVAD for short, is not a cure, said Dr. Samer Najjar, medical director of the heart transplant and LVAD division at Washington Hospital Center. But by rerouting the blood to take over the job of the left ventricle, the pump relieves pressure on the heart.
And once patients recover from the open-heart surgery, they can experience a much better quality of life, said Najjar, who has had LVAD recipients go back to work or resume hobbies like bowling. Najjar had no firsthand information about Cheney's case.
The typical life expectancy of the recipient depends on whether the device is to be temporary and the person goes on to receive a heart transplant, or if the device is intended for permanent therapy. Recent studies suggest that 63 percent of patients who receive a permanent LVAD can survive two years, Najjar said. Those awaiting a heart transplant tend to have a slightly higher survival.
The details of Cheney's scenario were not immediately available.
"The expectation is he is going to have an improved quality of life for some time to come," Najjar said.
Cheney said a few weeks ago it became clear he was "entering a new phase of the disease when I began to experience increasing congestive heart failure."
Late last month, Cheney was admitted to George Washington University Hospital for a few days after reporting he was not feeling well. In that episode, he ultimately received medication to treat a fluid buildup related to his aggressive form of heart disease.
On Wednesday, Cheney said that after testing and consultation with doctors, he underwent surgery last week to install the heart pump. The former vice president offered thanks to those who have kept him and his family in their thoughts.
Last edited by Nicki; 07-15-2010 at 10:09 PM.
AP
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has been showing his newly slender physique around Washington, D.C. a lot more since Christmas, and it now appears he’s back in the spotlight from his self-appointed leave of absence from politics. But a long history of heart attacks has left many wondering just how long he will be back before needing another major procedure.
In July of last year, Cheney had a partially artificial heart, know as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), implanted in his chest in order to help push blood through his body continuously, mimicking a fully functioning heart. It is a risky procedure, and normally done as a last resort to keep the patient functioning close to normal until they can receive a heart transplant.
Although the device leaves Cheney without a pulse, it is designed to allow a patient in considerably good health otherwise, to do everything from driving to even light exercise. Patients need to take an anticoagulant to prevent blood clots, and have regular blood tests.
The type of artificial heart Cheney received last summer is unknown, but Dr. Kathy Magliato, a cardiothoracic surgeon and director of women’s cardiac services at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., and author of “HEART MATTERS: A Memoir of a Female Heart Surgeon” told FoxNews.com that LVADs can be both temporary and permanent.
“They are subject to mechanical failure and can wear like a car. The device may need to be changed out. Some need a new one in two years, others in five years. He could have it for several years,” she said. “If it shows signs of wear, it can be replaced with another device indefinitely until the patient dies from some other cause.”
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Magliato, who has specialty training in heart transplantation, lung transplantation and ventricular assist devices at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, said there are three reasons patients like Cheney receive an assist device.
The first is to stabilize them while they wait on the transplant list, which is referred to as a “bridge to transplant.” Another possibility is to keep the LVAD in – to live with it indefinitely. And lastly, the heart may have the ability to stabilize and recover with an LVAD, which is then removed and the patient is able to live with their native heart.
At 69 years old, many would assume that Cheney’s chances to qualify for a heart transplant are growing slim, but Magliato said that is simply not the case.
“His age may be 69 but we talk about physiological age. There are transplant centers who will definitely consider a 69 year old,” she said. “There is no national cut off age for heart transplants; it depends on the transplant center. Some have abolished a cut off age and will consider every patient on a case by case basis.”
Magliato, who has not treated Cheney, said his risks are similar to the basic risks of any patient, including bleeding, stroke, infection, rejection, and organ dysfunction, when other organs have problems after the transplant depending on various elements.
According to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing, the survival rate for a heart transplant on a patient over the age of 65 after one year is 84 percent. Magliato stressed that the prognosis for these patients is quite good considering their chances of survival without the transplant.
“In order to even get on transplant list, you have to be facing imminent death in the next six months,” Magliato said.
The latest heart transplant list data shows 3,169 people waiting in U.S. to receive a transplant. Magliato said on average doctors in the U.S. perform 2,200 heart transplants a year, creating an obvious supply and demand issue.
She also emphasized that the heart transplant list is determined by the status and severity of disease in a patient, and Cheney’s position will not play a role.
“You don’t get on the list by buying your way on. People think somehow wealth plays a role, and that is absolutely not true, nor does socioeconomic status,” she said. “The bottom line is the sicker you are, the higher on the list you are.”
About 5 million Americans have congestive heart failure. Cheney has dealt with heart problems for much of his adult life, suffering five heart attacks since age 37
I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death; I am not on his pay-roll.
Edna St. Vincent Millay
if cheney need a new heart, i am sure he will just reach into a *donor's* chest and rip it out.
Can't wait until Dick Cheney is dead so I can piss on his grave. I will post a pic when that happens, too.
I'm afraid that, unless we find and destroy all of Dick Cheney's Horcruxes, he will never die.
Cheney is considering a heart transplant
http://dailycaller.com/2011/01/17/cheney-considering-heart-transplant/
What a terrible thought, that someone will have to die to keep Cheney alive.
Proving once again, that if you have enough money and know the right people, you can get anything.
Last edited by FannyB1923; 01-18-2011 at 01:00 PM.
The chance that Dick Cheney might get one of my organs is a case against being a donor. He can have my semi-liberal, Democrat brain if he'd like.
Dick Cheney had a heart transplant on Saturday in a Virginia hospital. 3100 waiting on the transplant list and a 71 year old man gets one. The majority of transplants go to people between 50 and 64. Will wonders never cease?
Cheney has had a heart transplant. Please, all politics aside for a minute, but don't you think a 70 year old is a bit old to get a heart transplant? I say this realizing I would think different in his shoes, but I would like to think if I was in a similar situation I would cede my chance for someone younger if I was over 70. Jeremy Brett, the best Sherlock Holmes IMHO, refused a transplant for the same reason and he was only about 60.
"Everybody is born, and everybody dies. Being born wasn't so bad , was it?"
Peter the Hermit
Why did he need a transplant, he didn't have a heart to begin with.
I'm guessing he is probably on a very extreme program of immune system suppresants or else his body would instantly reject this regime change.
That's how it is in this country. The rich can afford to BUY a heart. While those of us without insurance would be made comfortable to die. I am sure there weren't any 20-30 yr. old person on the recipient list younger. stronger and more suited to receive the heart??? Yeah right.
I'm surprised he didn't rip it out of a young kids chest with his bare hands.
"Death has come to your little town, Sheriff." -Dr. Loomis
Did they throw in a complimentary personality transplant as well?
I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny
I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny
I bet the family of the donor would be horrified if they ever found out who their loved one's heart went to...
Since he's been out of office for nearly four years now I won't go into politics. He's been on the list for the transplant for 20 months and now has got it done. He didn't just get one. Kuddos to Cheney on this. He's had sum five heart attacks now, starrting when he was 37 and he's 71 now. A trooper for sure. To me he's very admirable.
Your same comments could and should be said about why ted kennedy and the treatment he got for his brain tumor. Ted was a monster who killed someone and got away with it. But for some reason they treated him anyways
Last edited by Forever-27; 03-25-2012 at 08:05 AM.
Does anyone consume anything outside of the spoon fed pablum by the partisan media any more?
But is he dead? I don't think so. Notable and ones above it are for dead famous people.
What is more there is already a Dick Cheney thread. Please use the Search functions at the top of any page and/or the Custom in Support, bottom forum. And before you start a new thread please make sure you put it in the correct forum.
Last edited by cindyt; 03-25-2012 at 08:17 AM.
Why did he need a transplant, he didn't have a heart to begin with.
Aargh, I wanted to say that joke ! Okay, how about this ... they didn't transplant a heart, they finally installed one.
Some of us apparently only consume the spoonfed pablum of conservative tools.
NPR (perhaps better known to some among us as "the fulcrum of all evil") went to great pains to be fair in their limited coverage this morning. They pointed out that heart transplants in older patients are still relatively rare, but becoming more frequent.
If ever need a heart transplant, they will tell me to take two aspirin and die in the morning.
No because:
aggressive brain surgeries are not to my knowledge rationed in same manner as hearts (if there is a shortage of oncology wards in the US, I'm not aware of it)
with Kennedy, they were taking stuff out, not putting stuff in
I am neither an oncologist nor a heart specialist (even my grandparents are still miffed about that), but suspect that age doesn't factor in nearly as much when predicting clinical outcomes for brain cancer. Your heart is a muscle, and it and the hoses that connect to it are subject to wear and tear, and the longer it pumps, the closer the whole assembly it is to the end of its product lifecycle.
I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny
Now now. Had Dick (The Order Stands) Cheney been denied, W. might not have anyone around much longer to reply "Yes, Sir!" and "No, Sir!" to.
This is a big 'effin deal!
Whoops, wrong V.P. aka C.O. of the POTUS. No, I don't believe Biden is the political stumble-bum he pretends to be.
You won't bring politics into it, but your comparison reference just happens to be a democrat. Right.
I truly question the medical ethics of a transplant for a 71 year old. I'm not sure that can should translate to should. Granted, if there truly was no other qualified recipient for that heart, more power to him.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Casper, I love you so much baby boy... waking up with you in the house is a blessing every day! Thank you for filling our home and hearts with so much love, joy, laughter and ever so sweet Sammy smiles! We belong together! XOXOX
Yeah I know Biden's a member of the "other" party. My point is that the powerful always receive what they want and need, no matter if a Democan or a Republicrat...age has nothing to do with it in this case...it's whom. Prime example of elitism at work.
Well yes, it has everything to do with elitism, but age also enters into it, because age is a significant factor in detrmining the probable clinical outcome. One line of reasoning dictates that you want to give your limited number of donor hearts to those patients with the highest probability of a successful outcome (kind of like triage). If age didn't enter into it, there would be no reason for pulling strings.
They used to give us case studies just like this back when I was taking Ethics/Moral Theology back in seminary, but for the life of me, I can't remember the correct answer.
Did you know that you can make a very good salary working as a staff ethicist? There are health care institutions and other organizations that employ them full-time.
Nicki, you said right that such devices are used mainly for short periods, to buy potential transplant candidates time as they await a donor organ. A number of patients who are the heart failure are necessary to have this left ventricular assist device. As we all know, the consequences of Cardiac Risk Factors do not show up when they occur immediately but much later in life. Sometime, it will occur when sleeping and the sufferer actually stops breathing for significant. The LVAD saves many patients' life.
Rats, thought he had bought the farm
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...154541674.html
And I hope Bush and Cheney burn in hell
He speaks a lot about the reasons why "I did not join to.....". I'm sorry but that is not the choice a soldier has the liberty to make. He serves at the command of the president. Be it Bush, Obama, JFK or LBJ. Tons of soldiers felt the same way about Vietnam but at least today, they don't get spit on when they get home.
He's wrong on Iraq not being a threat to its neighbors. Saddam had waged two wars of aggression against neighboring countries, one of which went on for eight years and was among the 20th century's bloodiest conflicts. He was a major destabilizing factor in the Middle East.
As for the U.S. going into Iraq to plunder its oil, that's nonsense, although it's great demagoguery. You still hear such claims today concerning Venezuela, whose residual and declining share of U.S. oil imports could be done away with the stroke of a pen.
Actually just this past week Joe Biteme Biden, the gaffmaster himself was talking about his friend gabby gifords who Biden said was mortally wounded. So if you believe the crap biden spews, gabby is dead, but in reality she's still alive. Biden often dosent know wtf he says until long after he says it. I refer to him as biteme biden, because while on the campign traill in 08 he stopped at some diner in wisconsin, he got a 'meal , biden offered to pay but the owner said it was free as long as obama and biden don't raise his taxes. Biden told the guy ' oh Bite Me ' I thought that statement from Biden was uncalled for. Biden is one of the absolute dumbest vice presidents in US history.
Last edited by Forever-27; 03-23-2013 at 10:12 PM.
A few weeks ago I saw a story regarding a Showtime doc about Dick Cheney. During a related interview, Cheney stated that he ordered flight 93 to be shot down on 9/11. Although no surprise at all, it's a complete 180 from Cheney's previous accounts regarding flight 93 in which he maintained that Bush had ordered a shoot down if necessary. So Cheney admits he ordered Flight 93 to be taken down without any conditions which puts the "let's roll" story into question. Although I can't find anything on the web to corroborate my recollection of Cheney's admission, I'm fairly sure that's what he said.
If true, Cheney's order re Flight 93 and ordering Air Force One to play hide and seek for a while that day fits his political profile. He was one of America's most powerful VP's. After all, Cheney help oust Henry Kissinger as national security adviser back in the day and that took some doing. Kissinger and Cheney...too much alike.
Cheney is one of the most dispicable men who has ever lived. He should have never gotten his first transplant then he couldn't have screwed up this country so badly. I can't stand the sight of him nor the sound of his lies er I mean voice. He is one living non human who really makes me sick. I wonder what he was fed on that made him such a monster. To think an entire politiocal party put him up as a leader is mind blowing. What can one expect when you look at the history of their choices. Theodor Roosevelt was about the best of the lot.