Aa
open heart surgery
It is five months since my surgery and I feel lots of popping an thumps with a unevenness in my sternum and soreness in my chest is this normal I had pneumonia twice and coughed a lot?
This discussion is related to Palpitations and Potassium.
This discussion is related to Palpitations and Potassium.
If your Texas family is in Houston, you could go there. That is, like, the heart surgery capital of the world.
wow thanks that was so fast and everyone I and my Texas family believes the same. It will take a bit to get all the arrangements made I am so lucky as my mom and brother are selling some of their stock to help pay for all this. I love them but they can't really afford this and I will pay them back, but I still feel bad. I had lost this site now I am glad I found it
Wow. That is horrible. This isn't a legal site, so I wouldn't think you could get any advice about your rights here, but if Mayo is going to charge you, then maybe you could just get this procedure done in Alaska or in Seattle. I certainly think the Mayo doctors could tell you if they plan on charging you. That's not an unreasonable question to ask, especially when you have to fly in from Alaska.
I will say, I don't know that what happened with your incision is due to malpractice. It could be just a weird and unfortunate complication that happens in a certain number of cases, no matter how good the quality of care. Is there any infection in the chest, or do you know? Because if there is, that could be what has kept the incision from healing, and that's not necessarily a maltreatment issue.
Sewing up the sternum at the end of the operation is the easiest part of the whole deal, from what I understand about it. I really don't think you got sewn up by someone who just didn't know how to put the sutures in. There has to be something else going on. If you do have infection in your chest, you probably do need to go someplace like Mayo, because that is going to need some very expert care.
I will say, I don't know that what happened with your incision is due to malpractice. It could be just a weird and unfortunate complication that happens in a certain number of cases, no matter how good the quality of care. Is there any infection in the chest, or do you know? Because if there is, that could be what has kept the incision from healing, and that's not necessarily a maltreatment issue.
Sewing up the sternum at the end of the operation is the easiest part of the whole deal, from what I understand about it. I really don't think you got sewn up by someone who just didn't know how to put the sutures in. There has to be something else going on. If you do have infection in your chest, you probably do need to go someplace like Mayo, because that is going to need some very expert care.
I had a cat scan and the Dr. found that my sternum has separated and has a gap the size of a mans index finger. It has gotten worse since I last wrote
on this site, I can't lift more than ten lbs. with all this I plan on going back to the Mayo and getting wired back right. It would be nice if they didn't charge for this. All the air fare from Fairbanks, Alaska and hotel, renta car it adds up.Does any one know if I have any rights on this THANKS
on this site, I can't lift more than ten lbs. with all this I plan on going back to the Mayo and getting wired back right. It would be nice if they didn't charge for this. All the air fare from Fairbanks, Alaska and hotel, renta car it adds up.Does any one know if I have any rights on this THANKS
I was the same, pain for a year. I did hear some unusual cracking sounds when moving sometimes, especially when turning over in bed but X-rays revealed everything was fine. I think they wanted to check that the wires used to tie the sternum after surgery hadn't broken which can happen over time as the bone grows back together, but rare. I remember reaching the 10th month of recovery and thinking "I'm never going to feel normal again". However, at exactly 12 months I suddenly had no discomforts, even with twisting, bending or lifting.
After five months, it can still be normal to have some discomfort, including soreness. I think I was sore for going on a year. I don't know about the popping and thumps. You shouldn't have the two halves of your sternum moving independently of each other, if that's what is going on. The incision line should be solid bone, totally knitted together. I had a very prominent ridge of bone running down the incision line for several years, and yeah, I guess it was lumpy. That ridge is flattening out with time. If you are unsure whether your sternum has healed normally, you should go to the doctor and be examined. Find out one way or the other.
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I had mitral valve surgery at age 67 and had none of the postop symptoms, so my experience says only you are have more trouble than I did. I suppose my sternum may be a little uneven and there are times when I wish the doctor had used a straight edge to cut me open as the long vertical cut is on a bit of an angle compared to the perpendicular.
I have very little pain, took only light pain killers even immediately after surgery and went home after 5 days in the hospital. I took it easy with no lifting over 10 pounds or there about for a month. After two or three months I underwent cardio rehab at the local hospital.
I really had no problems from the surgery and the mitral valve, now 6 years old, is working fine - it was repaired with a downsize ring installed in the mitral valve opening.