Cataract Surgery JAN 5- Navy Hosp, should we cancel?

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Hubby (a GI type) came home yesterday and said his cataract surgery was scheduled for Jan 5 in the local Navy Hosp. I freaked! He wants the eye fixed so bad he didnt say anything. Is there any way Y2K could inject a hazardous variable into the success of this operation? HELP! Need comments from someone familiar with this operation. I want him to put it off till at least Feb.

-- Ann Fisher (zyax55a@prodigy.net), November 25, 1999

Answers

He may come home crosseyed!

-- Ohsh*t (oh@sh*t.com), November 25, 1999.

Hi Ann, No, I am no expert of any discription,but my dad was a Master Chief Hospital Corpsman,U S Navy, 20 years. But step back and think about it for a minute...Keep the appointment.You will KNOW between Jan 1st and Jan 5th if you're still confident enough to keep it when the time comes. ( I know I shouldn't say this, but maybe you will "see" the appointment in a different light when the time comes!

All the Best!

on de rock

-- Walter (on de rock@northrock.bm), November 25, 1999.


Ann

I too was sceduled for eye surgery next month. I told the Dr., please, not around Xmas, and please, not just after New Year. She said, "Y2k"??, and I replied, "YES". (Why chance it ?) A few extra weeks won't make a difference as my problem is repair work just below one eye...and this is the third try to get it right.

-- rb (ronbanks_2000@yahoo.com), November 25, 1999.


Ann:

Is he having actual physical surgery (cutting with scalpel) or having Laser surgery (no stitches!)? Either one may be affected by y2k glitches (power down, unable to use HVAC system to clean air in the surgical suite, tools goofed up, anesthestics unavailable, high number of auto crashes/post holiday casualties, etc...).

Can he have it scheduled earlier (fill in someone else's cancelled spot)?

Can you still cancel on the 4th, if there are y2k problems (power down, etc)?

If it was myself -- I'd try for an earlier appointment, or just wait. If y2k isn't too bad by then, go for it! If it is bad, don't worry about it.

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), November 25, 1999.


Y2K is a 3 day bump in the road. No sweat for January 5TH !!!!

Tongue in cheek off.

-- bbb (bbb@bbb.com), November 25, 1999.



Will he be the fist surgery in the New Year to use the hospital equipment needed for this type surgery? I would not want to be the first one.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), November 25, 1999.

How would you like to be the first surgery with the equipment and hear the doctor say, "oops".

I would then have to perform fist surgery on doc!

-- tc (trashcan-man@webtv.net), November 25, 1999.


Hi Ann,

Keep the appointment. If the power is on then enough is working that the op should be safe. This op does not require general anesthetic so should be a breeze. Go for it.

I'm a doc and if it was me I'd do it....if the power is on.

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), November 25, 1999.


I've been involved in the Y2K project (clinical equipment portion) of a large hospital. My biggest concerns about hospitals at this point have to do with external infrastructure, internal infrastructure (as in all large buildings in all sectors) and, most of all, supply chain disruptions. The answer to the first two will probably be pretty obvious by 5 Jan. The last will probably not be an issue so early in January.

Clinical equipment of the type that you will need is unlikely to fail. If it does, it will be known before Jan. 5, and will probably be obvious before it is used on a patient. The failure of obstetrical equipment in the Y2K movie was an idiotic scenario.

Nevertheless, if a December option became available, I would go for it.

-- Bill Byars, MD (billbyars@softwaresmith.com), November 25, 1999.


I forgot one of my chief concerns: the hospitals' regular IT systems. If your hospital has mass confusion, your surgery will probably be delayed, another reason to try for December.

-- Bill Byars (billbyars@softwaresmith.com), November 25, 1999.


You have nothing to worry about. All cataract surgery is done under a local anestetic and you are awake. The proceedure takes less than 15 minutes and the insertion of the lens replacement is swift and neat. Why do I know this? i work around two ophthalomoligsts that do this all the time. No y2k appliances are involved. If most doctors could get away with it it could be an inoffice operation but the hospital is more conve

-- jhock (jhock34981@erols.com), November 25, 1999.

1.Find out if the Phaco-Emulsification machine they use at the hospital has any date sensitive aspect that might interfere with the settings the surgeon determines he wants to use. 2. Is the OR on emergency generator in the event of a power interruption? 3. Have all pre-registration, including any Pre-admission testing done well before the 5th. Take the initiative yourself about EKG, labs, etc results are in the right hands for pre=assesment needs.

I'm an RN Director of Surgery-including Ophthamology. IMHO, for what it's worth, the chances of an event free cataract removal/lens implant on the 5th of January are better than one on Feb. 5th. Good luck.

Bill

-- Bill (Bill@SHF.com), November 25, 1999.


I am an ophthalmologist.Anita,where did you get that old saw about laser cataract surgery and no stitches? Laser cataract surgery is still in the experimental stage-expensive and unproven. Phacoemulsefication is the best,cheapest and the gold standard. It does not use a laser and can be done without stitches. But no-stitch-surgery is a sales gimmick. When I have my cataract done it will be with at least one stitch. And yes I am worried about y2k in the operating room. The phacoemulsifyer I use has 8 32 bit microprocessors and times everything. They say it will be ok.Umm. I have little confidence in my hospital's ability to find and fix all. Y2k compliant stikers are on every machine but I can't see how they tested them all and they seem to say that if a machine does not use a date it is ok. They don't worry if a machine TIMES things.However I agree that by jan 5 we should know what will work and what won't. I have booked surgery right through jan 2000 and nobody has objected or even asked any questions.Patients all seem embarrassed to take y2k seriously. I'd stick with the jan 5 booking but be prepared for a cancellation. If cancelled any bets on when it will be rebooked?

-- Dr Jan Czarnecki (janczar@air.on.ca), November 25, 1999.

Dr. Jan--right on target. Particularily about the "no stitch" cataract surgery being a gimmick. Please take all the room you need to insert that lens on me. A stitch or two is worth the ease of insertion to me!!

I would like to have you in my OR.

Bill

-- Bill (Bill@SHF.com), November 25, 1999.


Other concerns unrelated to the specifics of the particular surgery:

If Y2K is anything more than a BITR the Navy Hospital could have to postpone elective surgeries because of more emergencies, or power problems, or water problems, or computer problems in their med. records or billing areas, or they could be dealing with things like chemical plant spills/releases, or nuclear plant "oopsies", or medication shortages or......

Sooner would seem better. I would recommend last summer.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), November 26, 1999.



I had the 'one stich' surgery. Whole thing was about 15 minutes from in the hall waiting to recovery. Used a local and some 'happy juice'. Not a lot of high tech stuff involved. You can always show up and then walk away if not comfortable with how it 'feels' in 1/5. Again, remember the 'lawyer factor', if the doctor (or his lawyer) feels apprehensive in any way, the legal heads will prevail. I feel this situation needs no attention at this time.

-- BH (bh_slientvoice@hotmail.com), November 26, 1999.

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