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My dear brother (1 year younger) had surgery today and had stents put in his iliac artery & his femoral artery (these are in his leg). He developed some clots and had to go back into surgery. The surgeon isn't sure if he got them all as he said there was a lot of "debris".

Anyone with a medical background, can you give me some more info on this and are his chances good that these blood clots will go away.

If my dear brother doesn't get better in a couple of days, they will amputate his leg. Below the knee I believe. I am so sad and very concerned for little brother. He lives far away and I can't even go see him.

Please send healing mojo to my brother if you have a moment.

Sending lots of healing mojo for your brother.

(((sister)))

Oh my, I had an extensive DVT in my leg that went up to my iliac vein- but my treatment involved only blood thinners. There was discussion of a filter but I didn't end up needing it.

Obviously your brother's clot isn't deteriorating as mine did, that sounds very scary. And very painful.

Best wishes for a quick recovery for him.

Thanks, lieshurt and girlietoo. I am sorry you had to go through that, girlie.

Sensing bigtime healing mojo to your brother. And hugs to you.

Sending all available mojo your way! Hope your brother is doing better soon.

I know someone who has gone through the worst possible experiences with blood clots. I'm trying to get her doctor's name now. Gimme a while...

I'm so sorry to hear this. Sending lots of healing thoughts and prayers to your brother and big (((hugs))) to you.

Are the clots in the arteries or veins?

Good question, pj4. I am not sure. I would have to ask my sister that talked to the surgeon. I can't ask her now as she finally got home from the hospital and is exhausted and needs sleep. She has been at the hospital with brother since 6:00 am this morning. I will ask her tomorrow. Please stay tuned, pj4, I was really hoping you would check this thread.

Thanks everyone for sending mojo and prayers, and the hugs, too.

When I was young (early 20s) and still thought I was invincible, I developed a massive clot in one of my legs that I convinced myself must be sciatica or something because I had just been moving furniture around so I thought the pains down my leg were coming from my back. The problem with clots in your legs is that when they leave the leg, they gotta go somewhere.

Mine ended up in my lungs. My treatment was blood thinners and being flat on my back for a week in ICU. The treatment worked to clear them up - not a medical person so I'm not sure if they "go away" or what exactly happens - but treatment was successful and I got sprung from the hospital.

But - I don't know if your brother's medical issues are even similar, as my clots were caused by birth control (yes, those warnings are SERIOUS!) and there was no underlying trauma, like surgery and stents, and I'm sure that complicates the issue. It's been 18 years now for me, and I have to be careful about certain things, but I really have no lasting effects.

How scary, dazed! Glad you are fully recovered. Brother is in ICU. I would assume they are using blood thinners. It is a matter now of hoping the surgeon cleared all the clots out and if any remain they will dissolve.

Dear Brother doesn't take care of himself. He smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish. He is the nicest man evah, though, and I love him dearly.

Sending healing ((hugs)) and ((prayers)) to your brother and you. It sucks that you cannot go see him. Keep us posted. You have an army of caring people cheering for his speedy recovery!

Thanks, Stormy.

pj4, the clots are in his arteries. This morning the nurse said she still can't find a pulse in Brother's foot, but it is starting to "pink" up a bit.

As PJ asked, you probably have surmised that there are several different places, and kinds of clots that we can develop.

It sounds like your brother has developed a clot in his vascular system, that is fairly extensive. Based on the fact that they placed stents yesterday, it and now had these clots, I suspect that he had some level of long stringy clot in his legs to begin with, often times this happens slowly over years even. However just like with heart disease, or a clogged pipe, the debris builds up to a point where things just cant get through, and when you don't have blood flow your tissues don't get oxygen, and the food they need.

Often times when this happens the vascular guys, or invasive radiologist, or cardiologists even, will place a long catheter within the vessel that is similar to a soaker hose and then infuse a clot busting drug, over a period of time, usually 12-48 hours. This has become hugely successful in the past 10-15 years or so. When I was still working invasive cardiology we had one cardiologist that was trained and very skilled at this, he saved many limbs, that other doctors had said nope can't fix it.

It sounds like they did an evacuation of clots which is a bit different, and requires watching, but often times is followed by infusions of similar clot busting drugs. Obviously the need to get blood back to those tissues is extremely important.

(((and strength, and SI Mojo))))

Thanks, tushnurse, for explaining it more to me.

He's probably getting Heparin while he is in the hospital, and he may be transitioned to Coumadin when he is discharged.

He'll have to get his blood checked A LOT to make sure it's not too thick or too thin...but, I don't believe he'll have to be on that forever.

I think people that take coumadin for the rest of their lives are ones that had TIAs or full on strokes.

***this is just from my experience as a phlebotomist. I'm not a nurse, and I'm certainly not a doctor.

I hope he recovers soon. He's in my prayers.

The fact that it is pinking up is a great sign actually.

Often it takes time for the pulses to return, and for some folks it is always hard to find and feel.

I worked with a gal that could NEVER feel pulses, and had to use a machine to find them. I also worked with a nurse that could always feel them, and when she marked the spot she could feel it, we could always find it with Doppler. It was amazing.....Point being we all sense differently, but the pinking means he is getting good oxygenated blood to the area.

As tushnurse said the fact the leg is pinking up is good. I'm sure he is on some blood thinners and it will be a wait and see thing.

Thanks so much for the info itainteasy, tushnurse, and pj4. I really appreciate it.

pj4, you say it is a wait and see thing. How long do they let it go before they need to make the decision to amputate?