Question about back pain and Heart Lung Machine Incison

[hayden]

I have recently been having pain running up and down the center of my back, could that be related from the surgery?? 2nd, the incison in my leg were he heart lung machine was hooked up hurts all the time and is somewhat numb. the doctors told me not to worry about it. anybody else have this problem? If so what do you do??

 

[Ross]

When was your surgery?

 

[hayden]

August 2004

 

[JimL]

Hayden, that sounds similar to the pains I had after surgery, since they pried the rib cage wide open, and brought the shoulder blades together. I found for a long time special pleasure in sleeping on my right side, with my right arm as far forward as possible, sort of reversing what they did in surgery. That pain has long since gone away.

 

[hayden]

the pain stays the same, sometime it is between my shoulder blades as it is today and sometimes it is in my lower back!!

 

[gadgetman]

I'm coming up on 2 and 1/2 months since my surgery. I have had discomfort (nothing sharp) between my shoulder blades, my shoulders, and my chest. I've started moving my arms back and forth more and also doing more lifting and things. My Cardio gave me something to give me some relief. Seems to be working. I also noticed your mention of heart/lung hookup in your leg. They put a "booster pump" in my leg to take some of the pressure off my heart before surgery but my understanding from the pictures and descriptions I've heard, the heart/lung is not hooked up until you are in surgery and is usually done near the heart. I am by no means an expert in this area.

I also had 3 by-passes done at the same time and had 4 incisions along my left leg. I had several places that were slow healing but my Cardio did a little probing and found several stitch threads that were coming through the skin. Once he pulled them out, everything healed up great.

Hope you can obtain some relief from your pain. There are several meds out there that can help you cope.

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[Turkey Hunter]

A good chiropractor can relieve the pain between your shoulder blades with out "twisting and turnign you" all over the place.

I had the same pain and my chiropractor cracked me at seven weeks post op.

I couldn't stand it any longer.

Ben

 

[McCln]

Hayden

Hayden

Do you work on a keyboard? I did get stiff after going back to work and would have problems for almost a year after surgery. I did little movement exercises to get the stiffness out. I still have problems with the upper back, across the shoulder blades. I have to exercise by moving the shoulders and arms a little to get the upper back feeling better. I had it checked by the cardio to make sure it was not heart related. Good luck on figuring out what to do. I know how lowe back pain is myself. I have had it since childhood. Take care.

 

[Mike S]

I have recently been having pain running up and down the center of my back, could that be related from the surgery?? 2nd, the incison in my leg were he heart lung machine was hooked up hurts all the time and is somewhat numb. the doctors told me not to worry about it. anybody else have this problem? If so what do you do??

Hayden
Sounds exactly like the pain that I had. When I came out of surgery 6 weeks ago I could not stand on my right leg. This was due to numbness and nerve damage on the top of my right leg. It was quite painful and worrisome. I expected soreness by my chest, not my leg. Apparently when they cut into the leg to connect the heart/lung machine they may have cut into some of the nerves that are located close to the artery and vein. The swelling around that area also pinches off the nerves that are located there.
To make a long story short my leg is getting better. It took about a week to put full weight on it, and after 5 weeks it almost feels like its old self. The doctors think that it may take up to 6 months to totally get rid of all the numbness.
Hopefully this answers part of your question.

Mike
1980--Aortic Valve Repair
Feb. 14, 2005 -- AVR and Bentall Procedure

 

[Don Giaquinto]

Don Giaquinto

Don Giaquinto

I have recently been having pain running up and down the center of my back, could that be related from the surgery?? 2nd, the incison in my leg were he heart lung machine was hooked up hurts all the time and is somewhat numb. the doctors told me not to worry about it. anybody else have this problem? If so what do you do??

I am almost 4 weeks post op and I also have some back pain {back pain, chest pain, rib pain, pain in the ass......} This is all from the massive invasion that our bodies have been subjected to. I also have a nice size hemotoma at the sight of the left, groin cath sight. I was told that it too will go away. I had to get an utrasound for that problem so you might need the same if your getting numb there. We all have to paitent post op. I was extremely active so anyone in that pre-operation type of life style will need extra paitence.

Good Luck
Don G

 

[joy]

Wow, Hayden, I have never heard of the heart lung machine being hooked up to your leg??? When I asked my cardio about the pain in my back, he told me they basicly use a vice grips type of thing to hold your sternum open, and that with some exercise it would go away. Are you in a rehab, or were you? you might want to try what Ben suggested as well. I hope this helps, hopefully you will feel better soon.

 

[hayden]

Wow, Hayden, I have never heard of the heart lung machine being hooked up to your leg??? When I asked my cardio about the pain in my back, he told me they basicly use a vice grips type of thing to hold your sternum open, and that with some exercise it would go away. Are you in a rehab, or were you? you might want to try what Ben suggested as well. I hope this helps, hopefully you will feel better soon.

I will be glad to take a photo of the site and send it to you, if you would like to see it......My cardiologist mentioned rehab one day, and then he said what the heck, just walk 30 minutes a day on the treadmill.....the heart lung machine was connected more in my groin area, right at the top of my leg...if you know the area......

 

[perkicar]

I will be glad to take a photo of the site and send it to you, if you would like to see it......My cardiologist mentioned rehab one day, and then he said what the heck, just walk 30 minutes a day on the treadmill.....the heart lung machine was connected more in my groin area, right at the top of my leg...if you know the area......

LOL, Hayden, we will take your word for it.
Do you see the cardiologist at home, or here in Louisville??

 

[hayden]

LOL, Hayden, we will take your word for it.
Do you see the cardiologist at home, or here in Louisville??

Dr Shugoll comes to Lebanon every other Thursday.....I have my Protime checked here at a local doctors office (our hospital cannot do the finger stick) the doctor here then faxes the results to Dr. Shugoll and they call me with any adjustments......

 

[Sherry]

Hayden, I've had problems with upper back pains for years. I really believe that being pried open that long can cause some long-lasting nerve damage and the like, at least to some people. I agree with the suggestion to go to a chiropractor. The few times I went, it helped somewhat.