Problem

[Chris37]

I had surgery in September to replace some valves. One of the sutures tore open a hole in my heart and I'm back to leaking blood. Severity of the leak and next steps are yet to be determinded.

This happens so rarely my cardiologist presented it at a conference recently. They were all very excited to see something new.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Chris37-

Sorry you sprung a leak. I hope that they go in and fix it as soon as possible.

My husband sprung a leak also, but around the suture area I think. He had quite a lot of symptoms, but he's fixed now and is doing well.

How nice for you that you have become the "Elephant Man" exhibit at the conference. Ask if you could get some dough for being the subject.

 

[JBriau]

Hope everything goes okay for you.

Just curious to know how they came to the conclusion and
what were your symptoms?
Judy

 

[hensylee]

Goodness, Chris. You fightin somebody in your sleep? The other one won, huh? Sorry to hear this news, but at least you made the news. I hope they get it put back real soon and then you can be back on your way to good health again. I expect this has you pretty much upset so if you need/want to talk more, please don't fail to come on back and let's discuss it. Please keep us posted. God bless

 

[Chris37]

To Judy: Re, how they found out

To Judy: Re, how they found out

They found the new leak during a routine echocardiogram. I've had no symptoms from the problem, although they asked me if I have been feeling short of breath at all. I haven't noticed.

The suture poked a hole in the new valve and the lining in the heart around it. I have tests in January to find out how serious it is. If it's minor (and I hope it is) they'll leave it alone until I have to have the valve replaced a few years down the road. I didn't ask what happens if it's not minor. I don't know that I'm ready to have another surgery so soon.

 

[hensylee]

Please keep us posted, Chris. We always want to know what's happening with our fellow heartfriends. My prayers for good results in Jan. God bless

 

[Jessica_B.]

Rare or not, how did they manage to poke a whole in the new valve using the suture needle? Don't they notice something like that when they do it ?

Oh well, I hope the tests will show nothing serious. You don't want a new leak once the old has been fixed, do you .

Take care, all my best,

/jessica

 

[Gail in Ca]

Before my surgery, my sister's friend, a cardiologist, told me to be sure to ask the surgeon WHO stitches in the valve. After reading your post I am sure glad that I asked that question of my surgeon, Dr. C. Miller , at Stanford. He is a great person, and was a gifted surgeon. He even videotaped my surgery for me.
Best of luck to you,
Gail

 

[gary]

Video of your surgery???? You have it?

Video of your surgery???? You have it?

I think that's outstanding if he gave you a copy of it. I never even thought to ask for something like that.

Who did it?

 

[halstead]

aortic valve leakage 10 days after surgery

aortic valve leakage 10 days after surgery

Hi my Dad (age 79.5) came out hospital today (13 Feb 2002) after aortic valve replacement and double coronary artery bypass.

After the doctors decided he needed a pacemaker at the last minute he was allowed home today however he did lose his sight in one eye for a time in the middle of the night - this returned by morning. It was caused by a small blood clot getting to the back of the eye - stroke or pulmonary embolism being a real risk here.

Following this, he had an echochardiogram to determine if there was a clot lodged in the new (animal) valve. It turned out that there wasn't BUT there was evidence of leakage around the sutures of the valve. We have no idea if this going to fix itself or what the likely out come might be. Any help here would be much appreciated.

I don't know how these forums work but please email me at: [email protected]

PS: the cardiologist and the surgeon do not seem to communicate with each other - a basic pre-requisite you would assume. We have no confidence and need it fast !

 

[Nancy]

Hi Halstead, welcome to the site

Hi Halstead, welcome to the site

Hi Halstead-

I'm so glad your dad has come home from the hospital after his surgery. It's always nice to be home.

My husband (who's 71) has had 3 heart valve surgeries, 2 lung surgeries and has a pacemaker. It's pretty much par for the course for the new valves to leak a little after surgery. Our own natural valves leak a little also. This leakage usually heals up after scar tissue forms around the sutures. This takes a little time. Your surgeon no doubt took a really careful look at all your dad's test results while he was in the hospital. If there was anything that looked out of the ordinary, they would have taken your dad back in and repaired it pronto. The fact that they released him is a good sign. He'll be carefully monitored by his cardiologist and surgeon after surgery. Of course, if you or he sees anything which alarms you, or you have any questions you should call the surgeon right away. They expect to get calls and have inoffice procedures in place to handle them, so don't be shy.

My husband did have a leak a while after his mitral valve surgery, but this was not the usual after-surgery type. He has extensive damage to his heart valves from rheumatic fever and has a lot of scar tissue from previous surgeries, plus he had several faints caused by a slow heart rate and afib which could have torn something loose, so he's not your ordinary heart surgery patient. His case was not typical and has no relation to your dad's surgery. My husband's surgeon is fantastic, meticulous and very, very careful, so it wasn't anything coming from the operation, but rather from my husband's own difficult problems.

Joe also has had many TIA's which is what you were describing with the eye thing your dad had. I guess, Joe's had about 15 or 16 of them, several with the eye and some with other symptoms. They usually clear up in a couple of minutes and completely in a couple of hours. You should always call the doctor if this happens again, and go to the ER, just to be safe. Sometimes, the valves will throw off little clots after surgery as you already know.

My guess is that in a few months, all will be in healing mode and your dad will be feeling much better.

Tell your dad congratulations on his surgery and my very best wishes for an uneventful recovery. It's difficult surgery, but it's a life saver and the body will heal itself in time. Each person's healing rate is very individual.

Take care, and we hope to see you often on this site, it's really quite an extraordinary site.

 

[halstead]

Dear Nancy,

Thanks very much for your message - it reassured us a lot. Dad had a good first nights sleep at home which is great as I've heard that this is usually not so.

My sister says he is a bit down today but I guess this is to be expected - he perked up though when I read out your message !

Many thanks

Andrew

 

[Nancy]

Hi Andrew-

So glad your dad is able to get a good night's sleep. That puts him way ahead of many, even my husband Joe.

It's natural to be feeling down. Every patient knows that it will be a long arduous process to get feeling better, and it takes a lot of work on the patient's part, when they have the least inclination to get the body working again. But you will see improvements on a daily basis, some will be small, and at the end of the week, you'll be surprised at how much progress you've made.

Just keep plugging away, on the spirometer, on the walking, do little muscle exercises, just tiny seated ones (without lifting) to try and get the muscle tone back. Don't obsess about your down feelings, just go with it and allow yourself to work it all out, it'll get better when you start feeling better.

Also make sure you eat enough, it takes a lot of calories to heal your body. Plan something for the future. Make a date with yourself to do something which you consider a milestone, i.e. go for a small walk outside, go shopping, go to a movie or concert or play. It's important to have things to look forward to and goals to meet.

Have some fun thinking about what kind of treat you'll give yourself for being a "good boy". In my husband's case, he wanted to get a new puppy. His little Shih Tzu passed away right before his surgery. So as soon as he could drag himself to the mall ( and I do mean drag, he could hardly shuffle along, looked terrible and used a cane), we got a cute little puppy.

Of course, now he's so much better, uses the treadmill and we bought a 3 station home gym which he uses religiously. He had lost so much muscle mass because he was so very sick before his last surgery in July of 2001.

So things really do get better. You're a member of an exclusive club now.

Best wishes to your dad.

 

[halstead]

my Dad's progress (in Australia)

my Dad's progress (in Australia)

Hello Nancy


I was just wanting to let everybody know how my Dad was going 25 days after surgery. He had an aortic valve replacement and double bypass (age 79).


I saw Dad on Saturday (my birthday) and he was fine albeit a bit tired.


He had an echocardiogram last Thursday and saw the cardiologist on Friday. He said that the valve had healed up nicely (no more leaks !) and that there was just a little bit of fluid around his heart (old blood from the op) which will dissipate in time. His blood pressure etc is all OK and he's come off some of the medication he was on (numbering in the teens !).


He does get very tired in the afternoon (something that never happened before the op) and has to have an afternoon nap.


The surgeon (who has a good sense of humour) said: "well what do you expect - I trod on your heart for 5 hours" !


He still feels a bit down sometimes but really appreciates all the support he's been getting - a lot of it over the internet.


Well, all the best for now - I will keep you in touch with events.

Andrew

 

[hensylee]

Hii Andrew - thanks for posting about your dad. Wish him good health once he gets past the immediate surgery leftovers. That will come in good time. You and he can find so much information here plus support. Please come on back and keep in touch. Welcome to our home. God bless

 

[Nancy]

Hi Andrew and Dad

Hi Andrew and Dad

It's sounds as if dad is doing just fine after surgery. How wonderful that his leaks have healed up. The body is amazing isn't it.

So tell your dad congrats from me and that my husband still takes little naps from time to time, I feel he's entitled to them. He certainly earned them.

If your dad is bothered much by feeling down, do speak with the doc about it. It's very, very common in heart surgery patients and there are meds that can wipe that all away. No shame in that at all, it's mostly a physiological result from the operation and part of it from the pump.

Nice to hear such a good report!