Former Abbott Northwestern Hospital patient wants to spread awareness of AAA
05/06/2009--Duane "Dick" Meleen's room at Abbott Northwestern Hospital was full of artistic get well cards from North Elementary School in Princeton, Minn.
As the school's lead custodian for nine years, Meleen has a lot of fans. "I eat lunch with the kids everyday, and I have never felt so much love in one place," he says.
Meleen, of Milaca, Minn., has been absent from school since April 14. That day he drove at high speed from school to Onamia, Minn. to see his doctor. For two days, he had a pain in his abdomen that wouldn't go away.
At the Mille Lacs Health System, a CT scan image showed that Meleen had an abdominal aortic aneurysm, also called AAA or triple-A. That's when the large blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs becomes abnormally large or balloons outward. The larger the aneurysm, the more likely it is to rupture.
When an abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures, it is a true medical emergency. It even has an infamous nickname: Triple-A. Dr. Patti Hook wasted no time and arranged for Meleen to go to Abbott Northwestern's Vascular Center.
Meleen's helicopter ride to Minneapolis took 31 minutes, and the Abbott Northwestern staff was ready for him. They had already determined he was a good candidate for a minimally invasive procedure called endovascular stent grafting.
"Many, but not all aneurysms can be repaired with a stent," said Alexander Tretinyak, who performed MeLeen's procedure. Dr. Tretinyak is a vascular surgeon with the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern.
"Aneuyrsms are kind of like snowflakes. No two are are alike, but many share similarities. Mr. Meleen's aneurysm had a good shape for endovascular repair and thankfully, his blood pressure was stable. We were able to assemble a team rapidly and perform his repair," Dr. Tretinyak said.
An endovascular stent graft is a tube that helps support the artery. A small, hollow tube called a catheter is inserted through the artery in the groin. The stent graft is sent through the catheter and permanently placed into the artery.
"Our experience has shown that endovascular repair is superior for ruptured aneurysms. Survival is better, hospitalizations are shorter, and complications are fewer," said Dr. Tretinyak.
Meleen credits the medical professionals and the stent graft device with saving his life. But he had never heard of a triple-A before, and he wants others to be aware.
"I thought it was appendicitis or a kidney stone," he says. "I had no clue what I was in for."
Back to school now? Ruth Meleen says her husband has been postponing retirement every month for the past two years. Although he loves his job, at age 67, this medical episode might force it.
Meleen says he plans to return, if only for lunch and conversation with the kids – maybe everyday.
Abbott Northwestern Hospital is part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, a not-for-profit health care system of hospitals, clinics and other patient care services that provides exceptional care to communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin and employs more than 22,000 people. # # #
Related Links
Allina's Vascular Services
Abbott Northwestern's Vascular Center
Gore Medical: AAA patient education (includes video of endovascular repair)
|
