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Major Surgery and the Brain

August 26, 2005 04:50 PM

I had long thought my mother's decline in brain function was a result of the trauma of her hip surgeries. She had two, having twisted a femor on one side and broken the femur higher up on the other side. She was never the same again, even after the first one. Personally, I think had she let it heal or died she would have been better off. But, that is now, not then when the decisions had to be made.

Now comes this study, whose results I don't doubt, that bypass surgery is injurious to the brain and may lead to Alzheimer's. The mechanisms are likely similar in both hip and bypass surgery: major trauma, blood loss, reperfusion injury, and inadequate antioxidant protection to prevent the damage of momentary ischemia, followed by reperfusion injury when blood flow returns.

It is an issue we all need to consider at some stage of our lives; a major intervention with adverse effects on the brain later. Go to Surgery and Brains

My choice: forget the surgery. Keep your brain first. If you die sooner, not likely given the odds of these interventions, you are better off. Of course, these are my choices only. Not my advice to you.

Interesting, why is this disclaimer necessary? Because the medical profession has perfected its control of medical advice. Only a licensed doctor can give medical advice.

I would love it if this were true of financial advice. The law would require that you make no investment unless you have a prescription from an economist. If only licensed Ph.D.s in economics could write investment prescriptions it would be a boon. Then, the next step would be to make it harder to get a Ph.D. now that I have one. Let me point out, because I seem often to be misunderstood, that I am being facetious. I dislike intensely the current state of the medical industry. Without this heavy government involvement, we would take more responsibilty for our own health and a diversity of views would be heard. The system is predicated on the belief that we are too dumb to take our health into our own hands.

· Uncertainty

Comments

Posted by: Flower Online [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 12, 2006 7:43 AM

It is said that the heart-lung machine used in bypass surgery is a major culprit. Some believe it contaminates the blood in some way. Bad reactions include memory problems after open heart procedures.
Do I ever agree that intervening is NOT always the best approach. Just because it CAN be done doesn't mean is SHOULD be done. These decisions are tough, but relying just on your doctor or surgeon could be hazardous to your health. (g)

Posted by: Jim [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 27, 2005 7:03 AM

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