Is this rare, genetic mutation or what?

[Stumblebum]

A family member (55 year old male) was recently diagnosed with 3 partially blocked arteries at the heart. The doctor explained that he would insert a shunt (I hope terminology correct), to keep the arterial walls from collapsing. He did 2 no problem but when he went to install the third it was then when he discovered that the body had already grown a vein around the affected section thereby providing a natural by-pass. The doctor told us he had never seen anything like it. Has anyone heard of this? Is this one of those moments where a possible mutated gene is responsible?

[LucidDreamer]

That's very interesting. But if he grew a new blood vessel to replace the blood flow of an artery, wouldn't he have a new artery instead of a vein? Did the blood vessel somehow have the characteristics of a vein instead of an artery?

[CPL.Luke]

I've heard of this phenomena before (maybe not to this extent) when blood flow is restricted your body will grow a new artery/vein to maintain blood flow

[Nevermore]

removed

[Nevermore]

Arteries flow away from the heart, veins flow back to it. The two are not interchangable. This is either an artery, or just a strange bypass tube that his body grew.

It is actually not uncommon for the body to inprovise when there is a problem. Bypasses are rutienly grown in the circulatory system, just not usually in that big a blood vessle.

[insane_alien]

Arteries are usually round and stay round but veins kind of fold up a bit and are more squishy maybe he is talking about these characteristics and not those of blood flow.

or it could be non scientific termonology

[Stumblebum]

Sorry about the terminology. Its wasn't the fact whether it was a vein or artery but that the body responded to a crisis by growing a bypass. A few of you have said this has happened before but I would wager not very often. I thought it might have something to do with genetics and evolution to some extent. Is this the type of stuff Darwin was intimating? I wonder if adult stem cells somehow were triggered into forming a new blood vessel. Does anyone know if this phenomena has been studied or if other body parts have mysteriously begun regenerating or building anew?

[CPL.Luke]

if you get cut or scraped your body grows more skin/veins/arteries/capilaries

[LucidDreamer]

It can't be that common or we wouldn't have so many heart attacks.

[Daecon]

Maybe it's just an example of the human body's very limited ability to 'regenerate' body parts as part of the healing mechanism.

 

I also heard of reports in infants that had lost the tip of their little finger, growing it back. I've no idea if that's true or just an urban myth though.

[Severian]

Try cutting off one of his fingers and see if it grows back.

[Daecon]

well I would, but then the NSPCC would drink my blood.