Posted on 01/20/2007 3:57:02 AM PST by neverdem
Associated Press
Intestinal disease easy to treat among young, but kills 90 percent of elderly
LONDON - The intestinal disease Fidel Castro is reportedly suffering from is usually easy to treat — but if complications develop in an elderly patient like the Cuban leader, it can quickly become a death sentence.
The Spanish newspaper El Pais reported Tuesday that the 80-year-old Castro is suffering from diverticulitis, an inflammation of the colon that can lead to serious infection if contents from the intestine leak into the abdomen.
In the elderly, the prognosis for this kind of infection is generally very poor — with the mortality rate as high as 90 percent. “Castro would definitely qualify as critically ill,” said Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist at New York University School of Medicine, referring to the report.
In a younger patient, even the severe complications Castro has reportedly suffered are not necessarily fatal. But Castro’s advanced age is a major factor.
“When you’re in your 80s, any complication can be fatal,” said Dr. Joel Weinstock, director of the gastroenterology department at Tufts Medical School.
Still, it is possible that Castro could recover.
“If they get the infections under control, he should get stronger in the next few weeks,” Weinstock said. “But given everything he’s supposedly been through, it would be difficult. He’s had a tough run.”
About 65 percent of people develop weak spots, or bulges called diverticula, on their colons by age 85. In about 10 percent of cases, these pouches become inflamed, causing pain and other problems, a condition called diverticulitis. The illness can become life-threatening if other complications, such as infection, occur, requiring removal of part or all of the large intestine.
Castro's entire large intestine reportedly removed Patients with mild diverticulitis are usually treated with antibiotics, as well as...
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But that's just me.
Is that wrong?
L
Castro will be alright. Cuba has the best Medical care in the world and its all free.
In castro's case, I hope so.
I a few weeks or so there will be a funeral in Havana. I would expect the who's who of scumbags will be in attendance. The mind reels at the possibilities!
i don't care what he has so long as he is gone.
Jimmah Cahtah will lead the US delegation.
Jimmah wants to be buried in his front yard. Plains convenience stores will likely sell out of six packs.
"Cuba has the best Medical care in the world and its all free."
And worth every peso of the price....
This is certainly a "good news" story for a change. Who'd have thought that one of the unfortunate afflictions that kill the elderly would have such a pleasing result? And what a great way for the old cruel coot Castro to die. Let's hope in a few years we'll all be able to dance on his grave. Rum has been helping people dance for hundreds of years, and Cuba has great rum.
Couldn't happen to a more deserving person. May he die slowly and painfully. What a story. Good to the very last job. Makes me warm and fuzzy all inside.
Peritonitis and massive sepsis is a hell of a way to die, but Castro is very deserving of this type of end. In anticipation of Castro's imminent death, I'm sure that Jimmy Carter has a eulogy written and Satan has the hell fires well stoked.
President Peanut will be giving the corpse mouth to mouth. Is there any murdering dictator he won't swap spit with? He's like a 2 bit ho for dictators.
Pray for W and Our Troops
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