Sternal wire allergies

[MissMelis]

Hi all
I am new to this forum, and am glad to have found it

I have had some pretty strange and severe reactions to what we eventually determined are being caused by the sternal wires. A nasty red rash that is localized around the scar tissue that comes and goes, and is unfortunately at a sorry point right at the moment. I think it comes and goes with stress, as stress tends to cause one's body to release more histamine.

In any case, after much misery, I asked my cardiologist for a referral to a surgeon and I will now be having the sternal wires removed, which I hope will be the end to all of this.

Has anyone had similar reactions? The wires are not poking through my skin, but I can definitely feel them there. I have read that others have had soreness and stiffness from the wires, but anyone else that had dermatitis?

I had a nasty infection 1 month after valve replacement in June '05, my surgeon thinks that may also be a factor.

Thoughts?

Melissa

 

[Bina]

Hello Miss, and welcome!
I'm very sensitive to everything and will get irritations from most soaps and shampoos, but my sternum wires are fine. They are just under my thin skin and I don't like the feeling of them, but I'll keep them for now.

 

[zipper2]

Hi there Miss and welcome,
had my surgery 16 years ago and in the beginning had wires pop
out at incision site and had to be nipped off. Had tremendous pain
from them for 16 years but got used to that also for amount of time.
@nd surgery comin up and i'm sure going to bring this to the
attention of the surgeon and hoping any new rewiring will make
a difference in how i have had trouble this long.

zipper2 (DEB)