ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The recent untimely death of baseball great Bob Forsch from a ruptured aneurysm brings to the forefront the importance of abdominal ultrasound screenings for high-risk patients. Ask Donald Shelton.
Shelton, 73, of St. Charles, was just going in for a routine physical. When he left the exam, he was told he had an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) – a virtual time bomb.
A former smoker with high cholesterol and a family history of coronary artery disease, he had not had any serious medical issues in the past. But, because of those risk factors, his primary care physician, Kurt Piening, MD, at Boonslick Medical Group in St. Charles, conducted an ultrasound screening of his aorta in his office that day. Dr. Piening’s decision more than likely saved Shelton’s life. What was revealed by the ultrasound was alarming: a very large (6 cm.) and dangerous aneurysm.
Shelton immediately was referred to the SSM Vascular Institute (SSMVI) at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles for further evaluation. There, doctors determined he needed a stent graft, and an endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) was performed by Vascular Surgeons Thomas (TJ) Schneider, MD, and Todd Neuberger, MD. The procedure has been offered at SSMVI since 2000 with more than 300 EVAR or open aneurysm repairs performed there.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a silent killer; more than 90 percent are asymptomatic. There are almost never symptoms unless it ruptures. Then, the patient may experience back, flank or abdominal pain. AAAs are the 13th leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 15,000 deaths annually.
“With the recent Medicare guidelines for AAA screening, we (Boonslick Medical Group) have been incorporating an aorta ultrasound with our annual wellness exams,” says Dr. Piening. “We have obtained the bedside aorta ultrasound scanner and can perform the test right in the office at the time of the exam. Mr. Shelton is proof that this screening device can save lives. We encourage patients with risk factors to discuss this with their physicians.”
Those risk factors include:
• Age – abdominal aortic aneurysms occur most often in people 60 and older
• Tobacco use – the longer you’ve used tobacco, the greater your risk
• High blood pressure – damages the blood vessels
• Atherosclerosis – buildup of fat in the lining of blood vessels
• Being male – men are at higher risk, but women have a higher risk of rupture
• Race – more often occurs in white people than any other race
• Family history – more likely to occur at a younger age and higher risk of rupture
Photo caption: From left, Dr. Thomas (TJ) Schneider and Dr. Kurt Piening talk to patient Donald Shelton about his procedure.
About SSM St. Joseph Health Center
SSM St. Joseph Health Center is a state-designated Level II Trauma Center, Chest Pain Center and a Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center, located in St. Charles, Missouri. It is the recipient of the 2010 Missouri Quality Award and is a 2010 Premier QUEST High Performing Hospital. The facility offers a broad range of exceptional services and programs including SSM Cancer Care, the SSM Heart Institute, The Vascular Institute and SSM Center for Sleep Disorders. SSM St. Joseph Health Center is a member of SSM Health Care, the first health care winner of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. SSM Health Care- St. Louis also was named a 2010 ‘Best Place to Work’ by Modern Health Care and the St. Louis Business Journal. For more information about SSM St. Joseph Health Center, please visit www.ssmstjoseph.com and to learn more about our newest upgrades and services visit www.yournewstjoe.com.
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Rachel Peine
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SSM St. Joseph Health Center
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