While still in the waiting room...

[Kathie]

I have heard of a couple of people who had full sternotomoys and did not have to have the wires. They had some kind of glue that was used and the recovery was much less painful. Does anyone know of this? I am doing all the research I can before meeting with my surgeon.

Thanks,
Kathie

 

[Johnny Stephens]

I've not heard of this (doesn't mean its not true). I have heard of the glue being used to close the skin, but not the bones of the sternum.

 

[JimL]

I had a cut on my arm from a Cutco knife glued shut last fall. The glue used was standard superglue, in medical packaging of course.

 

[hensylee]

There is a new glue used to close up after surgery. Talked to someone the other day who had heart surgery and the glue was used. Seemed to work ok. However, my great grandson stepped on a seashell last weekend, ended up in ER and they closed it with the new glue. He is only 6 and you know how active 6 year olds are - the glue didn't hold for him. Besides, he was putting lots of stress on the wound by walking, playing and that's hard on everything involved (even shoes). When you have heart surgery, I doubt there'd be much stress on the sternum post-op. What will they think of next!

 

[terry40]

Kathie

Kathie

Yes we like to know about any new procedure, My sterum was/is wired and my skin/etc,. was glue, I not to happy about the wires, but since vomiting was a daily ritual after surgery for me, I'm glad I was secured with wires.

terry40

 

[Nancy]

Oh Terry-

Ouch, ouch and ouch! Vomiting each day after heart surgery sounds like some kind of torture. That's BIG TIME terrible.

 

[Kathie]

Thank you all for your invaluable input on this. I thought it might be too good to be true, but will let you know if anything develops on this in the soon future. Like I said, it was only a couple of people, and perhaps they had it wrong, thinking it was the suture glue instead the bone glue....It was a nice thought , though.....

Thank you for being so patient with all my questions...

 

[Sunshine susan]

Kathie, no matter how they close the sternum, it will be sore and have to heal. But it does go fast. I had (guess I still do 4 yrs later?) wires and it presented no problem. It will be sore, but it is not what I call painful. Sneezing and coughing is no fun but pressing a pillow on the sternum when it happens cushions the jolt thus any discomfort associated with it. Fortunately, I never had a sick stomach--that would be noooo fun for sure. Just take good care of yourself for a few weeks to ward off any colds. If put in correctly, wires don't have any tendency to break--and for a few weeks your activities won't likely include movements that could put you at risk. Good luck!! Susan

 

[Kathie]

Thanks Susan,

You have all made me feel better about a lot of things I had questions about. I will probably have a lot more as well. Thank you for taking the time to answer my concern on this one. Take care.