Recovery after Quadruple Heart Bypass Surgery - Fluid around lungs

[Sherry Berry]

My father had quadruple heart by-pass surgery a month and 1/2 ago. He still hasn't fully recovered. He has been a diabetic since he turned 52.  He is now 67 years old. He has repeatedly had fluid around his lung that has been drained off by his heart doctor, but it keeps coming back. He has trouble breathing and every time this procedure is done, he has more and more liquid drained from his lung. The first time it was 1200 ccs. The second time 2800 ccs. He had it drained again today, and my mother told me that there was even more fluid. My father says that he has trouble breathing and feels like he is drowning in all this fluid. My father has had alot happen in a year's time. He had total right knee replacement surgery in April 06, eye surgery on his one and only eye in April 07 - the other eye is a glass eye due to an old coal mine accident 39 years ago - and a month or so ago this quadruple heart bypass surgery. My thinking is that he is too weak to get rid of this fluid on his own. The doctor said that the next time this happens, my dad will be admitted into the hospital for a couple of days for a procedure where the doctor will drain off the fluid again then put some sort of sealent around the lung so it won't fill up again? (I'm not sure if I'm wording this properly.) I guess, my question is why didn't the doctor do this before now? Is it a risky procedure? Why is the fluid amount getting larger and larger every time?  Thanks for your time, Sherry Berry!

[kerri paiva]

Hello Jack54,

I was hoping that you could give me some advice regarding the lasix med's that you had responded to another patient sherry berry.  my mother has been coughing for 7 weeks without a break.  she is currently in the hospital and they have found some fluid under the heart.  could this be the cause of the coughing.  They just put her on the lasix yesterday to get rid of the fluid.  I just dont want them to discharge her and than she continues to have the killer cough.  i have taken to every doctor and noone seems to know why she is coughing up till this moment.  so they say.  please any advice for me.  take care, kerri  god bless

[kerri paiva]

Hello Sherry, I am sorry to hear about your dad.  My mother had quad bypass surgery 7 weeks ago and I have taken her to the hospital about 6 times and to every doctor possible asked thousands of questions about her constant coughing that is literally eating all of her oxygen from her.  Just 3 days ago I had to call 9-1-1 because she could not catch her breath.  She is 53 yrs. diabetic and asthma.  The doctors have given her every kind of medicine you can think of for sinus, cold, and pain killers.  Cough has not gone away.  She is still in the hospital today and finally they are saying that there is some fluid under her heart and that she is taking lasix pill form also.  I am not sure if it is going to help mom's coughing?  Did your father experience this cough also all day and night?  Take care, Kerri

[Sherry Berry]

My mom called me this morning to tell me that the doctor took out 3300cc's of fluid.  I'm not sure about the fluid in the lung or around it.  What I was told is that there is a crevice between the lung and the heart.  This crevice is where the fluid is building up.  My dad hasn't started his therapy, but the doctor said he does want him to go, because it will only make my father's heart stronger.  The last time my dad had his fluid taken out was exactly two weeks before.  The doctor is sure that my dad will need this procedure done, since the amount of fluid being drained is rising instead of getting smaller.  The first time was 1200 cc's, the second time 2800 cc's and this time was 3300 cc's.  The doctor spoke of this procedure where he will surgically go in and drain the fluid one last time and apply some sort of adhesive sealent that will keep the fluid from forming.  Evidently, this procedure is very painful, but it will keep the fluid from forming again, and he will no longer have any trouble.  I'm hoping that this takes care of the problem.

[Jack54]

Sherry,  I am so sorry to hear of your father's condition, which seems hopeless, but can improve given proper treatment and time. Remember his heart is recovering and he has not had a chance to rehabilitate himself.

His cardiac output may still be a bit low. ~1/3 of the output of the heart goes through the kidneys to filter excess fluid from our blood. If his output is reduced, he will retain fluid.

Lasix is a powerful diuretic and there are others that can and will be given intraveneously to him while he is hospitalized. Are you sure the fluid is not "in his lungs" vs outside or around his lungs?

I take lots of Lasix (pill form) myself. It works!

I have never heard of any type of seal that you speak of, but there are some RN type nurses that post here that maybe can come up with an answer.

Your father has all the complications of diabetes. He has had to stay away from sugar, but now he MUST stay away from salt. Salt causes us to retain fluid. I am on a low sodium diet and I can surely tell when I cheat.

Hang in there and give the doctors a chance, but pay attention to what and how your father is treated.

G-d Bless,

Jack