Post Heart Surgery memory loss

[snavaratne]

My dad had quadrple by pass surgery and replacement of aortic vavle  last Sunday.  He is 74 yrs old.  The surgery went  well and he was recovering well.  Yesterday night he was restless and was not himself and was trying to remove the bandages. The doctor gave him sleepling medication.  In the moring he had some meory loss but recovered and by evening he was fins.  Again last night he was restless again and  didn't sleep much.  This morning he had again loss his memory and can't even remember my mom or us.  I am trying to find out what's going on with him. Any feedback would be helpful.

Concerned Son

[kenkeith]

It is not uncommon for a CABG recipient to have memory loss, etc. for a few months subsequent to being on a heart-pump...it may be due to the impact of the heart-lung machines and called  “pumphead” syndrome...it is the temporary memory loss, impaired vision and slurred speech observed right after surgery in many heart bypass patients. The underlying cause for the after effects is not clearly known but usually clears up in few months.  

I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions or comments you are welcome to respond.  I wish your father well going forward.  Take care,

Ken