Post surgery discomfort

Posted By  CCF CARDIO MD-APS on December 02, 1997 at 14:36:06:

In Reply to: Post surgery discomfort posted by peter dwyer on November 28, 1997 at 22:59:54:

: I am a 43 year old male and I had bypass surgeryin 1995 consisting of four grafts (sequential) lima to D1 &Lad; SVG to OM(CX); SVG to RCA and I was concerned about the removel (removal) of my chest tubes at the time. When they (two) were taken out the one below my left nipple sent a sharp stabbing pain down my left arm and into my left little and ring fingers. Gradually over the course of the two years since my CABG there has been an increasing tingling and numbness occuring, at the time of my CABG I mentioned the pain and I was told not to worry about it that it would disappear. I am wondering if threr might be any connection between the two or should I seek alternate medical advice?

[CCF CARDIO MD APS]

Dear Peter,
     Certainly any nerve coursing in or near the chest cavity can be irritated by placement and or removal of a chest tube,
but usually this irritation is transient.  Two aspects of your question concern me: #1 it sounds as if the ulnar distribution of
your nerves is affected and it seems unlikely that a chest tube could irritate just that nerve, and #2 the axilla (arm pit)
houses the plexus of nerve roots that spawn the nerves supplying the arm and although the arm during surgery can be in an
unusual position that irritates the nerve, never does it get worse years beyond the surgery or time of injury.  
I would suggest you seek evaluation by a neurologist (nerve specialist) especially given this could be totally unrelated to any nerve
irritation that may have occurred during your surgery.
    Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only.  Actual treatment
and diagnosis can only be made by your physician(s).