Document VERy6p8V0GaXBjZ80vKxqGwo

Page 2485 1 Q Is that an aggressive form of treatment, 2 Doctor? 3 A It is very aggressive. It is invasive. It 4 is not something you just do in the office or at the 5 bedside. 6 It is a surgical procedure and it is quite 7 risky because you are draining this fluid directly 8 into the blood circulation, so there is a tremendous 9 risk for clotting off, there is a risk of infection. 10 It is a fairly aggressive approach. 11 Q Is it a curative or palliative approach? 12 A It is entirely palliative. The attempt here 13 is entirely to alleviate the discomfort of this 14 accumulation of fluid by allowing it to drain into 15 someplace else. 16 Q Now, after Mr. Vandergucht had the insertion 17 of the shunt, sometime later in October of 1991 it 18 became blocked or -- is that correct? 19 A Yes, obstructed. 20 Q Obstructed. And what problems would that 21 cause or did that cause in Mr. Vandergucht's case?