drsclafani wrote:LiveFree wrote:Hey Dr. Sclafani
I'm relatively new here. Have been a lurker since being diagnosed w/MS in May 2011.
Anyway, I hopefully have a real simple question for you.What percentage of patients that you've treated have had issues with their Azygous?
welcome
my data shows about 50%, other reports are higher,others lower
Thanks Dr Sclafani
The reason I asked the question was because the doctor I had for CCSVI treatment said that he saw azygous problems in only about 10% of his patients. My gut told me thatthis was too low based on Dr. Zamboni's following research:
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"In particular, the azygous vein in the MS group was affected in 86% of cases.
Most cases involved membranous obstruction of the junction with the superior
vena cava, twisting, or, less frequently, septum and atresia, as can be seen
in the x rays in fig 2A (b, c, d); in 12 cases the azygous system presented
stenoses at several points up to even atresia of the lumbar plexuses (18%)
(fig 2C (j, k, l))." ---(pg 395)(pg.4)
SOURCE:
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in patients with multiple sclerosis.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;80(4):392-9
LINK:
http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/80/4/392.full.pdf
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Despite my reservations, I decided to trust the judgement of the doctor since what the heck do I know right? I genuinely like the doctor too. This doesn't necessarily translate into results though
I thought with my symptoms and with the way MS took me down (Fast & Hard w\ lesions in my lower spine) I thought there certainly would be some issues with the Azygous. So I recently went through the procedure
and afterward the doctor mentioned that he found nothing with the Azygous
The preliminary results from the procedure have left me as one of the non-responders (kinda). The spasticity in my left leg has been ratcheted up quite a bit. And the tension in my back and abdomen (MS Hug) has also increased considerably in intensity. I kinda went the wrong way. crap!
I knew the risks going in so I accept my fate. It does make me sad though. I tried to guard against this by thinking I was prepared for anything going in. It it still hard to accept though when your the one who is getting his "Azygous" kicked.
Anyway, thanks for listening to the ramblings of a disappointed man. Also thanks for everything you are doing to help people with MS. You are a rare man indeed Dr. Sclafani.
Take care,
-LiveFree