Prince Philip Admitted to Hospital 'As A Precaution': February 17, 2021

[US Royal Watcher]

They would have tested for heart problems if he had chest pains.. I suspect that this came up when Charles went to see him. Perhaps hearing that he had heart issues again, upset him a lot....

I imagine that you are right but regardless of whether Philip was upset, decisions about treatment options and whether to even go forward with treatments are especially complicated for people of advanced age. The staff probably wanted a member of the family present when they discussed it with Philip.

Like Tirilschatz, these types of situations have arisen in my family. I don't know what the policy is in the UK but in the US, the considerations would be whether such a procedure would improve the quality of the person's life. In my experience, a successful angioplasty makes a person more comfortable and alleviates pain.

 

[TLLK]

Glad to hear that the procedure was a success and I hope that he has a full recovery.

 

[AC21091968]

Both the Leader (Jacob Rees-Mogg) and Shadow Leader (Valarie Vaz) of the House have wished Prince Philip for a well and smooth recovery in Thursday 4th March Business of the House at the Commons Chamber.

PARLY @PARLYapp
.@Valerie_VazMP and @Jacob_Rees_Mogg send their best wishes to HRH the duke of Edinburgh
9:43 PM · Mar 4, 2021·Twitter for iPhone​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1367425424238800899

From Hansard:

Valarie Vaz
(...)
Our thoughts are with our gracious sovereign and we wish Prince Philip a speedy recovery.

Mr Rees-Mogg
I begin by joining the right hon. Lady in sending the House’s best wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh while he is in hospital recovering from his operation, and hope that he is restored to full health.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commo...42B-44B6-86A9-7047C3BA2085/BusinessOfTheHouse

 

[Somebody]

I imagine that you are right but regardless of whether Philip was upset, decisions about treatment options and whether to even go forward with treatments are especially complicated for people of advanced age. The staff probably wanted a member of the family present when they discussed it with Philip.

Like Tirilschatz, these types of situations have arisen in my family. I don't know what the policy is in the UK but in the US, the considerations would be whether such a procedure would improve the quality of the person's life. In my experience, a successful angioplasty makes a person more comfortable and alleviates pain.

Exactly. That makes sense: at his age is most likely wasn't a given that they would decide on this treatment; so having his eldest son present to discuss such an important medical decision makes sense.

 

[MARG]

They would have tested for heart problems if he had chest pains.. I suspect that this came up when Charles went to see him. Perhaps hearing that he had heart issues again, upset him a lot....

Not all heart problems show up with testing, mine certainly didn't then I had an angiagram just to be sure and ended up with three stents in the widowmaker. Some things are just not obvious and, had his heart problem shown up during initial testing, I am sure that would have meant a much earlier hospital move as it's would be pointless fixing a UTI or even pneumonia only to have him taken out by a heart problem.

 

[Prinsara]

To do a procedure on him must mean they consider him to be at a certain level of shape and stability, correct? They don't do these things when someone is exceptionally frail or there is no point. In a way, it's a positive sign, especially for 99. Go Philip.

 

[Eskimo]

To do a procedure on him must mean they consider him to be at a certain level of shape and stability, correct? They don't do these things when someone is exceptionally frail or there is no point. In a way, it's a positive sign, especially for 99. Go Philip.

Prince Philip seems less frail than a lot of 79-year olds.

I wonder if Charles was there to convince his father to undergo the procedure? I can imagine Philip being reluctant at his age, but if the Drs were pretty up on a positive outcome, someone from the family might have been called in to convince him.

 

[Countessmeout]

Not sure Charles would have been chosen to do so.

I agree he may be reluctant to have a procedure at his age. No matter how stoic he is he will know the risks. But Charles and him have never been the closest unless things have changed over the years.

I'd think either his wife or even Anne would better convince him to do so.

 

[MARG]

Ah, but there's the rub. We only hear about the relationship between members of the BRF from gossip rags. There may be a deep well of respect between the father and son who have worked the greater part of their lives to support "Cabbage" and "Mama".

 

[maria-olivia]

All my respect for the Doctors who operated a 99 years old Royal.
Our King Leopold III died in 1985 from a Heart Operation in the USA.

 

[Benjamin]

All my respect for the Doctors who operated a 99 years old Royal.
Our King Leopold III died in 1985 from a Heart Operation in the USA.

Léopold III died on 25 September 1983 from a heart attack. This occurred a few hours after emergency heart surgery (coronary bridging) at Louvain University hospital in Brussels. The medical team did have American doctors as well as Belgian ones, but the king did not die in the USA.

 

[SLV]

Appatently the Palace just announced that the Duke has been retransfered to the first hospital.

 

[Alisa]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9329901/Prince-Philip-leaves-St-Barts.html

This isn't good news.

 

[Alison H]

I think it is - St Bart's has got the specialist cardiac unit, so they clearly don't feel that he needs to be there any more. OK, he's not well enough to go home yet, but I'm hopeful that it's a positive sign that he's been moved back.

 

[Blog Real]

Prince Philip has been moved back to King Edward VII's Hospital following a "successful procedure" for a pre-existing heart condition.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "Following The Duke of Edinburgh's successful procedure at St Bartholomew's Hospital on Wednesday, His Royal Highness has been transferred to King Edward VII's Hospital this morning. The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for continuing treatment for a number of days."

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-p...lowing-procedure-for-heart-condition-12236637

 

[Prinsara]

It's good news. He doesn't need the specialists and King Edward's is much smaller, reducing the risk of infection. Go Philip.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Personally, I think Charles and Philip’s relationship has improved since the 1990s but even if it hasn't, the British royal family strongly believes in primogeniture, in fact it is sort of their thing

However, I hope that no one had to convince or pressure Prince Philip to undergo the procedure if he was reluctant. I think it is better all around if medical decisions are based on what the patient wants and needs without any pressure. I suspect Charles was there to offer emotional support or help Philip make a decision, especially if Philip infection was causing disorientation or confusion.

 

[Prinsara]

There's a loosely similar story in my own family. My great-grandfather was not as old as Philip (but past ninety and this was forty years ago or so), but ill with kidney disease and some subsequent heart failure, very uncomfortable, convinced his time was done, and stoically fine with that.

His sons and my father convinced him to just take a diuretic pill, not being on any other medication, amazingly. He agreed, did it, rapidly felt better, and lived some more.

Sometimes you need a little consultation, especially when you're not feeling great.

 

[Denville]

Personally, I think Charles and Philip’s relationship has improved since the 1990s but even if it hasn't, the British royal family strongly believes in primogeniture, in fact it is sort of their thing

However, I hope that no one had to convince or pressure Prince Philip to undergo the procedure if he was reluctant. I think it is better all around if medical decisions are based on what the patient wants and needs without any pressure. I suspect Charles was there to offer emotional support or help Philip make a decision, especially if Philip infection was causing disorientation or confusion.

I suspect that Philp was upset and perhaps confused, and was perhaps reluctant to have more treatment.. and the queen isn't alble to go and see him. Charles is next in line.....so yes I think he was there to support and perhaps advise his fathter that he should have some treatment....

 

[US Royal Watcher]

There's a loosely similar story in my own family. My great-grandfather was not as old as Philip (but this was forty years ago or so), but ill with kidney disease, very uncomfortable, convinced his time was done, and stoically fine with that.

His sons and my father convinced him to just take a diuretic pill. He agreed, did it, rapidly felt better, and lived some more.

Sometimes you need a little consultation, especially when you're not feeling great.

I'm glad that your great-grandfather was able to live comfortably after receiving treatment. I certainly did not mean to imply that there was improper pressure on Philip. I was thinking of instances where the family insists on all sorts of treatment when they understandably don't want to let go. I don't think that happened here and I hope it doesn't. Philip deserves to have his decisions respected.

 

[Prinsara]

I'm glad that your great-grandfather was able to live comfortably after receiving treatment. I certainly did not mean to imply that there was improper pressure on Philip. I was thinking of instances where the family insists on all sorts of treatment when they understandably don't want to let go. I don't think that happened here and I hope it doesn't. Philip deserves to have his decisions respected.

Right, but it's probably not too much of a stretch to imagine Philip's mindset of something consisting of "why" and "I don't want fuss" and "you must be out of your bloody mind" (approx. ), so for both him and Charles to hear the medical consensus that a procedure was both effective and safe, I'd imagine it gave Charles some leverage to try and gently nudge his father's opinions. If that's why Charles came to see him.

True end-of-life/palliative is one thing. Stubborn nonagenerians eligible for more options are another.

 

[Moritzburg]

Can you imagine the pressure being the one performing angioplasty on the Queen's husband without anesthesia?

 

[REAL COUNTESS]

I am glad he is doing better. He is set in his way and don't like fuss, yes that is the DoE.

 

[tommy100]

I think the fact he has been taken back to King Edward VIIs is good - it shows they think he is making good enough progress and no longer at any risk of heart issues or they wouldn't send him back from a specialist hospital.

As for Philip getting an op - my grandmother is 81 and was recently told she was too old /frail to have a bypass. Not saying she is in the same boat as Phil (as we don't know exactly what he had done) but they must have thought he was strong enough to take an op and recover enough to make it worthwhile.

 

[Denville]

Can you imagine the pressure being the one performing angioplasty on the Queen's husband without anesthesia?

A doctor is going to treat all patients the same...

 

[rominet09]

Great news ! A very good sign.

 

[nigelrios]

Glad to get some understanding as to what he was dealing with and now feel like a sigh of relief.

 

[AC21091968]

What a great news! I'm sure Prince Philip secretly can't wait to go back to Windsor Castle.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

A doctor is going to treat all patients the same...

Of course they are. But the implications/fallout of something going seriously wrong during a procedure on the husband of the queen would be daunting. Let's just be honest.

 

[Osipi]

Of course they are. But the implications/fallout of something going seriously wrong during a procedure on the husband of the queen would be daunting. Let's just be honest.

I actually believe that it would be that the patient was 99 years old and having had been in the hospital for a while for an infection would be the first and main worry of any cardiac doctor asked to perform this procedure on Philip.

My husband's doctor that presided over a 6 1/2 hour long surgery that involved 3 separate procedures was visibly uncertain going into doing this for him. As there was a very strong chance that he'd not survive the surgeries, he was told to get his affairs in order before going under. Thankfully, hubby is a fighter, like Philip and pulled through not only with flying colors but is also cancer free.

Doctors can and do assess *all* aspects of risks with any kind of medical procedure that they're going to do. I'm just so happy that Philip's went so well and he's back recouping at KEVII hospital and all that good food.