15 months of Chest Pain After Quadruble Open Heart

[Alkhalili]

Hello everyone,

On May 22, 2009 I had a quadruple open heart surgery done as I was in a really bad shape. I am still having pain fro the surgery and my wound sometimes gets worst. I hate this very much as the skin is very sensitive still. I can also feel my chest bones hurting very much. Every time I eat it feels like I am going to get a heart attack and this worry me so much. What should I do? I would appreciate some advice and thanks in advance

[kenkeith]

You should get a follow-up exam. Sometimes, the sternum (center bone that connects the rib cage) healing process is compromised and infection can set in, etc.  It can be serious as there can be lost bone and structual damage.

For some statistics, infection resulting from wound complications has been sited as a small issue with the median sternotomy procedure. Among a consecutive series of 9,279 sternotomies performed during a period of 2½ years, 61 (0.66%) patients developed significant wound complications. Of these, 58 (95.1%) survived. Sternal infection occurred in 36 patients (0.39%). Predisposing factors included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, closed chest massage, prolonged assisted ventilation, and excessive bleeding after operation.  

There should be significant healing after 6 months.