2 valve replacements and 1 repar

[Juliev25]

My mum had surgery on Sunday which lasted 7 hrs, mitra valve replacement, aortic valve replacement and a repair or a valve on the right side of her heart. After surgery and shortly after being transferred to intensive care she had a further op in ITU as 2 archerys were bleeding and putting pressure on her lungs. She still in ITU and today they woke her slightly but put her back under sedation and Tom I'm going i to sign content for the tube in her mouth taken out and a tube inserted in her throat put in. She had a valve replacement 13 years ago mechanical, and 2 further surgerys years before that on the same valve. She was extremely ill before surgery and it was an emergency. She's on a mild meds for low BP and kidney machine ans liver suppressed. When should we be looking for signs of improvement

[ed34]

Hi Julie, so sorry for taking so long to respond.
It's great news that there is no cause for alarm over the Liver, but I would still confirm this with the Surgeon. I am totally confused where they could obtain a figure of 30% from. Probably from a raffle. Ignore such things. There are only three possibilities, stable, getting worse, getting better. Listen to the nurses rather than the Doctors running around all day. They take measurements very regularly and see any changes. Doctors just glance at the latest figures and say "hmm this patient is sick" but we all know that.
The swelling reduction could be due to 2 things. It could be reduction in fluids being pumped into your mum to keep blood pressure up, or she is producing more urine which means the kidneys are starting to function a bit more. Again, clarification needed from the surgeon.
It looks like she has been suffering a bout of sepsis including pneumonia. If the ventilator is able to keep sufficient oxygen in her blood, and it has for days now, then you should be able to conclude the infection in the lungs is under control. It can take quite a few days for improvement. Once the infection is clearing, the lungs are still coated with dead white cells from the immune system which the body has to remove.
I'm sorry I can't offer more at this time, it will be much clearer once you speak to her surgeon. If you find he is still difficult to get hold of, go to the PALS office in the hospital and complain. Doctors jump when these people shout. You deserve to know answers.
I'll be thinking of you and I know what you are going through. Please keep us informed as to any new information.

Ed

[Juliev25]

Hi
Mums still in ICU and had a tracki tube fitted as she was struggling with breathing
She was doing okish but had post traumatic  operative stress syndrome
Things initially began to look up and I have been following your advice and asked the questions and thought my main objective was an infection
After almost been off most of the meds and equipment but still with the tracki and no kidney function Mum took a turn for the worse about a week ago.
She's got clots in her lungs and now needing full support and and maximum drugs. I was told 2 days ago she had 24 hrs and her liver was failing and that the right side of her heart was damaged due to the plumenary hypertension. Within in 12 hours her blood gases slightly improved and they performed a procedure to remove the clots. They were weary to do this at first as she had had a bleed but one of the clots were plugging it. Today they took mum off sedation at around 12noon and shes still sleepy and not to responsive but no changes apart from slight improvement in lung function. They have removed most of clots but not all. They've also said today that mums chances are back up to 15-20%. We're on a complete roller coaster and I seriously don't know what to expect. To me it's not my mum lying there and I'm thinking she can't possibly pull through this. Could you please give me your opinion

[ed34]

It really is in the hands of God and I'm so sorry to hear she got so much worse. What are their reasons for the failure in the organs? is it infection or is it ischemia (lack of blood flow)? Is it due to the lack of oxygen? The key is her organ function as to how well she does. If the Liver does fail, it normally means bad news because blood toxins build up which affect the brain. Now that blood can be oxygenated better and pumped through the heart, let's pray that this will start recovery. They did a remarkable job in clearing the majority of the clots and the slight improvement in lung function is reflecting this. I have to be honest, I think you are back to where you were weeks ago :(

[Juliev25]

Thank you for you fast response
It's not infection but I do know that mums BP level has been supported and they've struggled maintaining it. Tomorrow I'm going to ask for numbers etc of her fluid in and out put and her blood gas results for lungs and liver. There telling me mums been fully supported by the highest degree. I'm totally amazed that having been told multiple organ failure and just 24 hrs to live and then within 29 she was having a leaky tracki tube replaced and then a procedure to get rid of the clots in her lungs .. It's amazing x she's very swollen and having full dialysis and full desperation
This is the biggest roller coaster ever and seriously worried xx

[Juliev25]

Mums liver is recovering but she's going into theatre Tom to remove a blood clot in her heart
I've been told the risks but they need her heart function to work to enable a recovery
The clots in her lungs are a separate issue and they are slowly removing them because they don't want a bleed
It's not an infection but poor blood supply to organs
My fingers are crossed
What do you think
Julie

[ed34]

I hope the surgery goes well to remove the clot in her heart. Do they think she is up to more surgery? or is she having angioplasty?
If her Liver is recovering, then things are looking up, as long as they can keep her circulation strong. She must be one heck of a fighter. Have her kidneys produced a higher volume of urine yet? I know the kidneys can take a while to recover. It really is good that they are doing so much now. Best news I've had in a long while :)