Questions posted in the
Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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Subject: Re: Aortic Valve Replacement - Surgery Recovery Topic Area: Heart DiseasePosted by Hank Eyring on April 24, 1999 at 18:11:38Greetings, Two things are bugging me (besides the pain). My sternum keeps "popping" when I twist my upper body in any way. When will this stop and is it harmful? I assume that the "popping" is the two halves of my sternum rubbing together. If it keeps popping, does that mean that it is not healing? Lastly, I am six feet two inches tall and used to walk upright like most humans. Now it seems that I am stuck in this hunched position with shoulders forward and chest sucked in. When I try to put shoulders back and chest out like I should, it hurts very bad at the incision and feels like it is ripping open from the inside out. I have never seen any sutures so I assume they are all under the surface. How strong is the whole thing and is it ok to stretcPosted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on April 24, 1999 at 19:16:15
It takes a good 6 weeks for the sternum to heal. Assuming you are getting good nutrition, there is no other way to speed up the healing process. The popping sensation you describe is not normal. It may suggest that the sternum is unstable. The degree of pain you describe is also much more than I would expect at this point. You should ask your surgeon to take a look at the incision and make sure it is healing properly. I hope this has been useful. Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck. Information provided here is of a general nature. Specific diagnoses and treatments can only be made by your doctor. If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE for an appointment with a cardiologist at Desk F15.
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