Since I seem to be the first individual in VR to have experience with Sternal Talons, I thought it might be helpful if I describe my experience with them. You can get more information about these devices at:
http://www.rapidsternalclosure.com/medical/longterm.php
Sternal Talons are clamps used to close the sternum after a typical sternotomy used in open heart surgery. They provide two primary benefits over the wires that have been used for past decades. Unlike wires, which are laced through holes drilled in the two halves of the sternum, Talons do not pierce the bone. This reduces the possibility of infection by eliminating the need to drill holes. The hooks on the ends of Talons curve around the edges of the sternum. Once each half of the talons is put in place, they are pressed together as the sternum is closed. Talons lock in place as they are closed and when the sternum is correctly positioned a locking screw secures the Talons preventing any possibility of them coming open. Once locked in place, Talons provide rigid support for the sternum preventing movement of the bones while they heal.
Much if not most of the pain associated with recovery from OHS is the result of the two pieces of the sternum grinding against each other or flexing which sternal wires cannot prevent. Talons, on the other hand, do prevent these movements. Like everyone else at my hospital, I was given a teddy bear in the ICU to use as a shock absorber when I moved or coughed. Of Day 01, I have little memory other than the removal of the respirator tube and being helped to sit up on the edge of the bed sometime that evening. On Day 02, I sat up more and got to stand next to my bed and I remember using the bear to cushion my chest when coughing and moving. Day 03 was my first day out of the ICU and was less uncomfortable. I was glad for the bear, especially, when I coughed and I used the pain medication as it was offered.
Day 04 brought a significant change. I woke before dawn and watched the sun come up and found that I could move with much less discomfort. I also found that coughing or sneezing was much less uncomfortable, so much so, that I no longer needed to clutch the bear. By the afternoon, I only used half the allowed pain medication and at bedtime I used an analgesic instead of a narcotic. I slept quite well that night for the first time since surgery.
By Day 05 I felt quite good from the moment I woke up in the morning. I no longer needed pain medication during the day and took 5 walks around the hospital for a total of about half a mile. Walking left me tired but not in pain and the bear set on my bed unused. Finally, on Day 06 I left the hospital and felt well enough that on the way home we stopped for lunch. Again, activity left me tired but feeling very good. I had been warned that I would not be able to use my waterbed at home due to the difficulty of getting on and off of it. Several nurses suggested that I would want to sleep in a recliner but my first night at home proved them wrong. Because there was no movement or pain in my sternum, I had no difficulty sleeping in my own bed, moving around the house, taking a shower or walking outside for the first time that afternoon. My biggest problem proved to be avoiding straining my chest muscles by lifting things that were too heavy. I continued using an analgesic in the evening before bed for the surface discomfort in the muscles and skin.
Before surgery, I read quite a number of peoples experiences with OHS and had quite a bit of anxiety over what was happening. Much to my surprise, however, the actual experience of heart surgery and my valve replacement was not at all traumatic. Waking in the ICU with the respirator was sort of unpleasant but after that I had little pain and not much discomfort. I think that becoming an informed patient and keeping a positive outlook helped somewhat but much more than that, my set of Talons left me with so little discomfort that from the day I left the ICU I could concentrate on recovery instead of avoiding pain. I had a great surgeon and no complications following surgery but I never expected to feel so good so quickly. As Sternal Talons are used more widely, I think they are likely to change the way we think about heart surgery.
http://www.rapidsternalclosure.com/medical/longterm.php
Sternal Talons are clamps used to close the sternum after a typical sternotomy used in open heart surgery. They provide two primary benefits over the wires that have been used for past decades. Unlike wires, which are laced through holes drilled in the two halves of the sternum, Talons do not pierce the bone. This reduces the possibility of infection by eliminating the need to drill holes. The hooks on the ends of Talons curve around the edges of the sternum. Once each half of the talons is put in place, they are pressed together as the sternum is closed. Talons lock in place as they are closed and when the sternum is correctly positioned a locking screw secures the Talons preventing any possibility of them coming open. Once locked in place, Talons provide rigid support for the sternum preventing movement of the bones while they heal.
Much if not most of the pain associated with recovery from OHS is the result of the two pieces of the sternum grinding against each other or flexing which sternal wires cannot prevent. Talons, on the other hand, do prevent these movements. Like everyone else at my hospital, I was given a teddy bear in the ICU to use as a shock absorber when I moved or coughed. Of Day 01, I have little memory other than the removal of the respirator tube and being helped to sit up on the edge of the bed sometime that evening. On Day 02, I sat up more and got to stand next to my bed and I remember using the bear to cushion my chest when coughing and moving. Day 03 was my first day out of the ICU and was less uncomfortable. I was glad for the bear, especially, when I coughed and I used the pain medication as it was offered.
Day 04 brought a significant change. I woke before dawn and watched the sun come up and found that I could move with much less discomfort. I also found that coughing or sneezing was much less uncomfortable, so much so, that I no longer needed to clutch the bear. By the afternoon, I only used half the allowed pain medication and at bedtime I used an analgesic instead of a narcotic. I slept quite well that night for the first time since surgery.
By Day 05 I felt quite good from the moment I woke up in the morning. I no longer needed pain medication during the day and took 5 walks around the hospital for a total of about half a mile. Walking left me tired but not in pain and the bear set on my bed unused. Finally, on Day 06 I left the hospital and felt well enough that on the way home we stopped for lunch. Again, activity left me tired but feeling very good. I had been warned that I would not be able to use my waterbed at home due to the difficulty of getting on and off of it. Several nurses suggested that I would want to sleep in a recliner but my first night at home proved them wrong. Because there was no movement or pain in my sternum, I had no difficulty sleeping in my own bed, moving around the house, taking a shower or walking outside for the first time that afternoon. My biggest problem proved to be avoiding straining my chest muscles by lifting things that were too heavy. I continued using an analgesic in the evening before bed for the surface discomfort in the muscles and skin.
Before surgery, I read quite a number of peoples experiences with OHS and had quite a bit of anxiety over what was happening. Much to my surprise, however, the actual experience of heart surgery and my valve replacement was not at all traumatic. Waking in the ICU with the respirator was sort of unpleasant but after that I had little pain and not much discomfort. I think that becoming an informed patient and keeping a positive outlook helped somewhat but much more than that, my set of Talons left me with so little discomfort that from the day I left the ICU I could concentrate on recovery instead of avoiding pain. I had a great surgeon and no complications following surgery but I never expected to feel so good so quickly. As Sternal Talons are used more widely, I think they are likely to change the way we think about heart surgery.
