Sternum wire removal??? Talk to me about it..

[marky]

Those of you that have experienced this can you share?

I have one wire that is relentless..and has been from the begining..
Last week cardio ordered Xray to look at it, and thencalled me after showing Xray to surgeon..and discussing it.

Surgeon says..it is very common for small thin women to have problems (If that is the case.. why didn't they take precautions after surgery??)

anyway.. he says it is not a difficult proceedure and not painful??
so share your experiences with me please

I am so tired of this whole thing..
I told my cardio that this reminds me of that annoying song we sang as kids...
"this is the song that never ends.. it just goes on and on my friend"
only my version is the SURGERY that never ends...

TIA

 

[Ross]

I haven't, but my bestest buddie Nicole did. It'a a samed ay surgery with some numbing medication and then they clip and pull it out.

 

[Bridgette]

Oh no Marky, poor you

I don't have any experience to share, but hope you can get it sorted.

Is Dr Gammie doing the removal?

Bridgtte

 

[hensylee]

we have several who have wires removed and I am sure they will be along soon. ILoveNY had all hers removed. She, too, is small. Ben Smith. I don'[t recall just at this moment just who else, but quite a few have done so. It seems quite a simple procedure for most. I don't recall that any of them had a problem after.

 

[MelissaM]

Had mine taken out a year after surgery (two years ago). Don't let it get you down - it is a simple procedure. I went in at 7 am, was out, eating breakfast with friends at 10:00 am (granted, a bit woozy, but starving and happy to have breakfast, nonetheless).

And best of all, there are no more rubbing, aching wires in my chest!

 

[marky]

Oh no Marky, poor you

I don't have any experience to share, but hope you can get it sorted.

Is Dr Gammie doing the removal?

Bridgtte

No I have decided not to go back to Gammie..
there is a competent surgeon In Hershey at the Med center where my cardio is ..and I am fine using him.
thanks

 

[Turkey Hunter]

I had one of my wires removed.
At that time, still fairly close to the OHS, I was not much for being back in a hospital, so I was not ready to have all of them removed.
The one I had removed had broken; yes broken.
I awoke one Saturday morning and had one of those "big" stretches. You know the ones that are almost involuntary.......and bang. The darn thing broke and it felt as if there was someone inside me with a k nife trying to carve their way out. Hurt like mad for days until the removal.
Anyhow, it was a very simple procedure and I was in and out of the OR.
I drove the 3 hours to CCF, had the removal and was able to drive home again that afternoon.
Very simple and quick procedure.

Hope that helps & I feel your 'pain'

Ben

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I went in to have one of my wires removed as it was really bothering me - scratching from under the surface and causing bruising. My surgeon ended up removing all wires because they were all a little twisted. He said that it is normal as the bones and muscles heal for the wires to be shifted, but on very muscly people (Ben) or ones whose sternum is very close to the surface (me), it can cause more problems.

It was a very easy surgery. The scar is about 1 inch long between my breasts, where he maneuvered to remove all the wires up to my neck. He did this because my original scar is horizontal, but normally they just go in along your existing scar - a new cut for each wire. The bruising was tremendous, but that is probably because of the Lovenox/Warfarin issue and the stretch of skin to get to all of the wires through one small opening. I had general anesthesia, but was still out of the hospital within 4-6 hours.

I rate it the fourth best surgery I've ever had - after hysterectomy and then RK and then valve replacement. I guess that not having to deal with extreme female issues, not having to wear glasses, and not having to worry about dying come before not having annoying pain!