sternal pain and instability

[Archibald S Miller III, MD,FACS]

I am Dr. Arch Miller. All of the above discussions suggest some type of sternal instability. I am very interested in this area and have been deeply involved in research, development of devices that allewviate much of the pain in these cases. If you will go to the web site, rapidsternalclosure.com you will see a novel new way of closing the sternum in a very stable way. I have performed this procedure numerous times. Also, Dr. Scott Levin of Duke University is a committed surgeon to fixing the problem. I am on the medhelp forum" reconstructive surgery", and Dr. Levin can be contacted at dukehealth.org. This problem is common, but not usually fixed or addressed. I would welcome any further questions and you may call my office at 918-492-2282 for further questions.

                                   arch s miller ms md facs


This discussion is related to Sternum pain after By-pass Surgery.

[robertguthm]

dr miller, i hope you are around.  if not, anybody that can help is most welcome to please!!,

on tuesday of this week i had 5 talons implanted.  i have had a sternal non-union issue for 2.5 years from a cabg performed in 2007.  i went for a "standard rewire" on july 9th of this year.  within 3 days of the surgery, my new rewire job had failed again.  all the wires and plates pulled away from the bone.  i had many complications like coughing blood etc that was caused by the surgeon nicking my lung during the rewire in july.  after 10 days in the hospital, he sent me home for the bleeding to stop.

2 weeks later i was brought back in for the talon procedure.  i must say that it is a miracle.  i have no sternal pain for the first time in years.  i have a ton of muscle aches in my neck and upper back, but those had been present after the first rewire and was caused by instability.

after only 2 days, i felt good enough to go home (again, what a miracle!).  i have been looking for information online as to what to expect post operatively.  this is the first time my surgeon had done the procedure, so i was not given much info when i was discharged.  i got the pamphlet. screwdriver etc, but nothing addressed post operative expectations or possible complications.  my surgeon is out of town until next week, so i figured i would try and ask my questions here.  i know that neither of you are my medical team, so i understand that i can't/ won't use any answers in place of his medical advice so i am just looking for generalized answers.  here goes:

1.  is there anywhere on the web where i might find out post operative expectations and care for the talon's?

2. i have not seen a single case mentioned on the internet about the use of FIVE talons.  if this very uncommon?

3.  i have some swelling and numbness on either side of the wounds.  it is similar to the numbness after they harvested a mamry artery during my cabg.  the wound looks fine and is not painful to the touch.  only the swelling and numbness.  is this common?

i have just spent 10 hours doing the google and finding nothing.  ANY help would be appreciated!!

many regards,

Robert G.

i also posted this here:

http://perfectrn.blogspot.com/2008/10/have-you-seen-this-sternal-talon.html#comment-form


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------