Sterum Wires

[tex]

Well i went to hospital yesterday to see the surgery again, concerning my sterum, since i had my AVR and Mitral Valve repair six months ago i have been back and forwards to the hospital, as my sterum hadnt fused in part together and this was causing servere pain and discomfort, i have been wearing a special bra and been on medication to help reduce swelling that has built up and strong pain killing tablets, well i had another chest x-ray yesterday and had some goodish news, if there is such a word LOL. My sterum has now fused together looks a funny shape but i can live with that, what they did see on x-ray was that 3 of the wires have come undone, infact you can feel them moving about under the skin. So what they are going to do is now remove all the wires, i am not having this done till end of August as i have so many things to do before this date. What they have said is because i am on Warfarin i need to go in 4 days before my operation as they need to take me of Warfarin and put me on a Heparin pump, they said that it takes about 4 days to get rid of the Warfarin. Heres me thinking i was going to be in and out with this operation, oh and then they did say i couldnt come home till they got Warfarin levels right when they restart me back on it after the operation.
Does this sound about right to anybody?
I know that its not a big operation, they have said that they will be cutting me either side of my scar and then pulling them together to cover the original scar, i wouldnt mind my scar is looking really good at the moment, so hoping that it wont change so much. Have any of you guys had this done?
Thanks for your help as always
Jane

 

[hensylee]

Over the years in VR, lots have had their sternum wire(s) removed. not a big deal for most, however most do not have the regimen they are doing to/for you. there will be others come in to address the issue especially the warfarin. don't think members are going to like it much and they will tell you what they think, with advice. Blessins....................

 

[MissMelis]

Hi Jane,

I had my sternal wires removed in Dec 2008 because I was thought to be having an allergic reaction to them.
Mine weren't loose or anything and the surgeon had to tug to get them out, so I was pretty sore for a few days. But my scar looks even better now than it did before. In some places it's nearly invisible!

I am not on Warfarin either - so can't be of any help with that part of your question, unfortunately
But lots of folks here will have input, I'm sure!

Keep us posted!

Take care
Melissa

 

[CA Pigg]

Glad to hear it has fused together. Hate to hear about the wires!!!! I will be praying all goes well!! I'm thinking about you!!!

 

[Gail in Ca]

wires out, outpt, and on coumadin

wires out, outpt, and on coumadin

I had my wires removed as well. I stopped my coumadin 4 days before the procedure at home. I went in to the outpt surgery and my inr was at 1.6.( my mech valve is in aortic position). I was not put on heparin for this. My surgeon removed the wires, and I went home later that day, was just told to start up my coumadin again that pm. All went well, that was a few yrs ago.

 

[sue943]

As you are in the UK it will be normal practice to keep you in hospital for whatever period you are needing to be bridged. When I was in St George's with endocarditis there was a woman in the next bed to me who needed to have an angiogram and they had her in for four days before and attached to a heparin pump. They did her angiogram then she was going to be staying in until her levels were up. Just standard UK procedure I think you will find.

 

[jorsarge]

Sounds familiar I am going through something similar. Only differece is I am 2 years on seems I am reacting to the wires or there are bugs living on them I am on warfarin and will be having wires removed in july or August having a CT scan soon so will know more then.

Best wishes

Jorsarge

 

[Eva]

Good luck, Jane

 

[Kathy McCain]

Hi, Just wondering what symptoms you have, with the problems of the sternal wires? Thanks

 

[tex]

Firstly i can feel them under my skin, when you touch where they are its very painful and sore, also when i move that is also sore as the surgery said the wires are catching inside me. He said i could feel it more because im so slim and got no fat on my chest, just a pity i have fat on other parts LOL.
Hope this helps Kathy, are you having problems with your sterum?

 

[Kathy McCain]

Hi Tex,

Well maybe, my Dr. says it sounds like some inflamation of the chest wall. He said I would probably have it on and off the rest of my life. I also developed pericarditis after the surgery. I am still taking 5mg of prednisone. Every time I stop taking the drug, the symptoms from the pericarditis return. He said that is different from the chest wall inflamation. He doesn't seem to think that condition is serious, just more annoying than anything else. He did say however, that my cardio should be monitoring the other condition, which he is. I still think that maybe the sternal wires could be causing this chest wall problem. I requested a chest xray, and everything is normal. My valve is working well, no problems with that.

Thanks for the information

 

[Kathy McCain]

Jane,

Forgot to wish you the best with your procedure! I am sure everything will go well. There are other people on this forum that have had their wires removed with no problem. You'll be feeling better in no time!

Please let us know how you are doing.

 

[Ann]

I have a friend on Warfarin (clot issues not heart issues) when she needed hernia surgery they did put some kind of screen in one of her veins – but other than that they adjusted her INR with an IV of Vitamin K and had her back on her regular dose the following day.
I might note that this was the 2nd surgeon that she went to – the first was planning for something along what you describe in your post. It does not hurt to ask questions.