Friday - update husband's surgery

[amy]

All in all, my husband is doing well after his AVT. He was moved out of ICU within 24 hours and sat in a chair a few minutes day two. He ate a turkey sandwich for dinner.

His nurses have been wonderful. They have been responsive, nice and competant so far.

My husband had a few episodes of a-fib. Is this normal? He will be started on beta blockers. The cardiologist said that he has residual ventricular dilation. Could someone explain that to me and it's implications?

 

[ALCapshaw]

Hello Amy,

A-fib is quite common after surgery since cutting on the heart alters the conductive paths along the heart surface that carry the electrical impulses which trigger contractions. I had an event 3 days post op
that took a few hours to 'resolve' (and another one this week - 9 weeks post op). There are several medicines that can be used to control A-fib. Hopefully these will just be random events. Chronic A-fib is a concern that requires more attention and medication. This is much less common.

'AL'

 

[John Cochran]

Amy,
Atrial fibrilation, like Al said, is common after surgery, and it is more of a nuisance than anything; it is NOT life-threatening. Sometimes the "a-fib" resolves over time, but there are plenty of people who have it that lead normal healthy lives. The residual left ventricle dilation is pretty much the norm for AVR patients. In the years before surgery, as the aortic valve's function becomes increasingly poor, the left ventricle enlarges and dilates in its attempt to keep blood flow normal. That dilation is one of the major reasons we need this surgery, because eventually the dilation causes the ventricle to become dysfunctional, with congestive heart failure likely. Immediately after surgery, even though the problem has been fixed, the left ventricle can take quite a bit of time to "remodel" and get back to normal size. The amount of time varies based on a number of factors, but usually returns to normal size in 6 months to a year. Beta blockers help in a number of ways, from keeping the heart rate down to helping the left ventricle pump stronger, speeding the recovery and remodeling of the ventricle. Beta blockers are very safe (major study by Yale University earlier this month underscored the safety and effectiveness).

It sounds like your husband is proceding on the normal course of recovery for AVR patients, and in a few weeks you absolutely won't believe how great he is doing!

Best,
--John

 

[EVELYN]

YAY AMY AND ALAN

YAY AMY AND ALAN

SO VERY GLAD TO BE BACK ON LINE.....OF ALL TIMES FOR OUR COMPUTER TO GO DOWN AND GET SOME VIRUS OR WHATEVER.....JUST GOT BACK ON AND TYCE WENT TO YOUR SITE. SOOOOOOOOO GLAD TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT ALAN....YEP, ALL THE GUYS ABOVE ARE RIGHT, AFIB ISN'T ANY BIG DEAL.....DEFINITELY MANAGEABLE. OUR CARDIO TOLD US IT'S THE HEART VOICING ITS OPINION TO BEING IRRITATED.

KEEP US POSTED AND LET US KNOW THE PROGRESS, HE SOUNDS GREAT! SO GLAD TO BE BACK AMONG THE WORLD OR CYBERSPACE!!!!

EVELYN AND TYCE

 

[Bill Hall]

Amy - I was afib for about a month after surgery. It went away using the medication they gave me. Even if it continues, they told me I could live with it indefinitely (with medication).

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi amy!
as you've heard from others here, afib is not lifethreatening. the only thing to worry about is that when the heart
pumps inefficiently the blood has a tendency to pool, thereby possibly forming clots that can travel and cause stroke. therefore they urge folks in afib to take blood thinners like coumadin.
my dad had his avr done 3 yrs ago and is in chronic, full time afib. he lives on coumadin and is active and fine with it.
joey went into afib 4 days after his surgery and the old meds that used to control it presurgery (he had a few random bouts of afib) no longer controlled them. he was then put on stronger medication and is fine for now. there are so many options that are available to you and your husband. ask the dr and i'm sure it will be resolved soon.
(joey was also cardioverted_shocked_ once years ago and that was very successful in his case).
good luck and please keep us posted. be well, sylvia

 

[joy]

Amy, I am so glad your husban'd surgery went well. Try to get some rest when you can, you will be busy helping him out for the next several weeks. i'm happy to hear that your husband had an uneventfull surgery.

 

[Mara]

Amy-
Glad to hear your husband is improving. It takes a while sometimes. I am sure he'll bounce back. The surgery is a major trauma. Each gets a little better until, before you know it, you're back.
-Mara