Anything to worry about?

As you know I went for a check up a while back and my consultant said he want sto do a CT scan.
I got a copy of the letter that he sent to my GP and got a bit of a shock. He did an echo and in the letter he said:
"Repeat echocardiography showed good LV function. There was no significant right heart dilation. There was very mild tricuspid regurgitation and so I was unable to measure RV pressure. I could see flow in the vena cava from the supra-sternal view. This appeared mildly turbulent but I think there was some interferance from the PM lead. It was not easy to visualise the right sided veins for technical reasons. I felt it would be worthwhile undertaking a CT scan to give an assessment of her haemodynamics."
He never said any of this during my appointment!!! I know its nothing to worry about. At leats I think! And that the tricuspid thing is something to do with when blood flows from the atrium to the lungssome blood leaks through to the other chamber. I am right in thinking that? Anyone else have any idvice?

5 Comments

Probably Normal...

by chip - 2009-05-30 09:05:06

I believe that if you pulled random people off of the street and did the same test you would see mild tricuspid regurgitation in a few including myself.

A large number of people with devices have a small amout of leakage from the leads - this is common according to my EP.

I would follow up and get the CT scan done but I think you will find there is no problem. It sounds like they are recommending the CT only because of the "technical issues" during the first test.

Enjoy the weekend & God Bless

Cause for Concern?

by SMITTY - 2009-05-30 10:05:00

Hello Rachael,

While I don't think you aced the test, I don't think you failed. I would say you got a C+ or B. Ask you GP to grade the results of your test. As for the regurgitation, (again you will have to ask your doctor to know for certian) that could be caused by the pacemaker lead passing through the valve opening. I have never had a problem with valve leakage until I got my PM and I was told that was probably the reason for the small leakage I now have. It is my understand this is a problem for many people with pacemakers and the severity ranges from mild to severe.

Now I'm going to pass on some words of wisdom that were given to me one time when I was worried about something I could do nothing about.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Good luck,

Smitty

And...

by chip - 2009-05-30 10:05:13

I forgot to mention - The echo results really sounded pretty darn good! I would be so lucky to have like results.

Chip

Serenity Prayer

by jessame - 2009-05-30 11:05:28


The Serenity Prayer is one that I have lived by my entire life. It helps to recite this every morning when I start my day.
Hope all will be okay
Mona

mumbo jumbo

by Tracey_E - 2009-06-01 09:06:08

I think you'll find that any time you have a test, the doctors can write a whole paragraph full of words we don't understand to explain what they found. As Smitty said, you didn't ace it but you didn't fail it either. It's not a glowing report but it's nothing to be concerned over either.

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