HepC and back surgery.

[Di3985]

My mother was recently dignosed with HepC. Before they found out that she had it, they had set a date for her to receive back surgery for her SpinalStenosis. They postponed her surgery because her blood platelet level was low, and in testing to see why it was low they fond out that she had HepC. With finding this out, they told her they will not due her surgery, because they consider her a liabilty. Now please know that spinalstenosis is not anything small. It is a narrowing of your spine, she is in constant pain 24/7, her pain meds dont help and all other therapies that the doctors reccommended for her didn't work either. I guess my question is, why would they not give it to her, when it is basically an emergency. She can barley walk or stand, she loses feeling in her legs and can't lift anything over 5 pounds without being in extream pain! Can anyone help ??

[PegM]

In addition to the bleeding risks, her medical team may have concerns about the impact of the anesthetic agents themselves, if she has progressed liver disease from her Hep C.  Back surgeries often take a long time and the assult to her liver from long anesthesia might be more than her liver can deal with.  She really has to find out the extent of her liver impairment from a hepatologist, not from a surgeon or other MD.  I agree with Trinity4 about a hepatology assessment prior to pushing for surgery.  She could possibly get good support and tx that would put her carbon unit in a better place for surgery.

[Kathy73]

I also have low plateletes due to ITP which is a blood disorder. In order to get my biopsy for Hep C/liver function I had to undergo gamma globulin treatments which entailed infusions for 5 hours each for 5 days. It was not painful just time consuming and very costly. Luckily I had insurance that paid for it. It worked and my plateletes came up so they could do the biopsy. It only lasted for a couple of weeks, but this should give them time to do the operation.

[Trinity4]

Your mom should also see a hepatologist about her hepc.  Low platelets can be associated with extensive liver damage.  A good specialist can provide proper testing and advice on current treatments available for the low platelets and hepc.  
As co indicated, she could bleed out during surgery.  That is a risk she should not be taking at this point.  
Trinity

[desrt]

Hard to say what the thinking is with the people making this decision without knowing  more details.
Maybe you could explain a little more " ...they will not do her surgery because they consider her a liability." Do they consider the surgery to be more dangerous, more expesive, more subject to lawsuit? What has changed (according to them) because of her HCV diagnosis?

[CoWriter]

"I guess my question is, why would they not give it to her"

Because if her platelets are low and they make an incision, she may not be able to stop bleeding.  

Co