Sternum wires

[deek]

Hi all. I'm 6 months post op MVR and have been having a lot of pain from my sternum wires. This pain comes from simply reaching or turning...couldn't imagine if I was really active...and I have an appointment to meet with my surgeon to discuss removal. Anyone here have this done? What exactly does it entail? Thanks for sharing, Dee

 

[hensylee]

lots of members have had one or more or all removed. not a big deal. some of them will be along shortly to explain how it all goes. none of them have complained after removal - just felt all better again. blessins...........

 

[Maryka]

I am 10 months post OHS and am re-experiencing sternum pain when I reach or rollover in bed. I will be watching your thread for when the experieced folks write in about this issue...

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I had all of my wires removed in outpatient surgery. If it had been one wire they would have used local with sedation, but with all, they decided to use general. I went back to work the next day, which probably wasn't a wise idea, but I made it. I went in thinking I was having one wire removed and ended up with all because the xray showed several that had turned. If you already have a vertical scar, they will probably make a small incision on that same scar above each wire that needs to be removed. My scar is horizontal, so they made a small (1 - 1.5 inches) vertical incision between my breasts and removed all the wires through that. I had to go on Lovenox before the procedure, back on Coumadin the night of the procedure, frequent testing until I was back in range.

It's really not a big deal. The worst part was the bruising (my entire chest turned black) and the incision leaked for quite a while (3-4 weeks).

To be clear, my pain was not general sternum pain. It was very clear that it was related to the second wire. When a small child would sit it my lap (I taught first grade) and lean their head back, I'd get a shooting pain, when I wore a sweatshirt with a heavy patch or embroidery in that area, it was uncomfortable, when I'd sleep on my stomach I could feel it, I could touch the area and feel the wire tips. It was also scratching me from beneath the surface, causing bruising.

 

[Smiley2000]

I am about 18 months post-op and I thought by now it would be better, but I am also considering surgery to remove sternum wires.

You would think that with time it would improve, but I came to the conclusion that it is going to like this forever...

I can't sleep on my sides and tummy. On a daily basis I have shooting pains, radiating to my neck. I have lost a bit of weight and now it is even more painful - at the top of the incision I can feel the wires and it almost feel and look like pimples where it is poking through my skin. Winter was an absolute nightmare time for me!

Going to see Cardio next week, I'll let you know what we decided.

 

[Bina]

Dee, we have had good discussions about this topic....try using the search box at the
top of the screen with the key words "sternal wire" or "wire removal" etc.
I may just join you.....I HATE MY WIRES.
Nothing can touch my incision area, no buttons, no zippers, no seat belt, no jewelry, etc.
It is so much worse since I am thinner lately.
Hmmmm, maybe I can stick on a piece of thick foam padding.
Oh, check out the TOOTS forum, we have a young man who posted a pic of his scar from having 2 sternal wires removed.

 

[tobagotwo]

Without intending to be a sour note, I shoudl point out that there are some members who have had wires removed without providing relief.

Certainly, they are the prime candidate for creating these issues, especially as they have been described here. But be aware that they are not always the answer.

Best wishes,

 

[Kathy McCain]

Yes, that is what I hear also. Wire removal does not always give you the relief that you would expect. I think part of my problems are related to one of the very top wires, I can't feel anything, but sometimes I can feel a little stinging sensation, and or tenderness. It's not constant, just comes and goes sort of thing. I have seen the Dr. a couple of times, regarding this issue, and he doesn't seem to think it's the wires. It seems the Doctors are not too quick to want to remove them. I had minimally invasive too, and working on 19 mos post op.

Hang in there, and good luck! Let us know the outcome.

 

[Philip B]

Wire Removal

Wire Removal

The only problem I've had with my wires has been setting off the metal detectors at the airport in Denver. I do know a gal in my community who had issues with her's and had to go through the removal thing. She described a pretty simple procedure involving small incisions. A couple of her wires had broken and were really causing major discomfort. Removal for her was a logical course.

-Philip

 

[scuba_898]

I have not had surgery yet and so have no experience with sternal wires. but reading this blog makes me question whether or not i should get sternal wires or go with talons or some other device. I kinda like how one of the posts described the ease of removing them, however i then read that even after removal the pains may not always go away. I wonder if that would be the case with the talons as well or if the pains could be avoided all together. I am just curious to what your thoughts would be on this.

thanks

 

[Lisa in Katy]

The only reason that wire removal would not solve the problem is if the wires were not the problem in the first place. Broken wires and shifted wires can cause pain, but as I said the pain is very localized to the affected wire or wires. I think general sternum pain is probably not caused by the wires. I didn't mention it, by my surgery was in 1998 and my wires weren't removed until 2005, 7 years after surgery. As I healed, the wires shifted, turning the points. It was very obvious in an xray. The pain was very different from the general pain that I had in the beginning, getting worse over time, and causing visible damage beneath the surface of my skin.

 

[Lynlw]

I have not had surgery yet and so have no experience with sternal wires. but reading this blog makes me question whether or not i should get sternal wires or go with talons or some other device. I kinda like how one of the posts described the ease of removing them, however i then read that even after removal the pains may not always go away. I wonder if that would be the case with the talons as well or if the pains could be avoided all together. I am just curious to what your thoughts would be on this.

thanks

I'm not sure but I THINK the reason the pain doesn't always go away when the wires are removed, was they thought/hoped the pain was because the wires may be poking, but actually the pain was not related to the wires, but actual sternum being cut ect. so since the wires weren't causing the pain, removing them didn't help. I guess it is kind of like some people break other bones and after they heal they never have problems/pain, but other people always have pain where they broke it. FWIW the number of people that have pain with the wires is very, very small. I don't think the talons have been around long enough to actually know what the long term results are. I've always wonderred wether thinner people may have more problems since there isn't as much "padding" between the sternum and the skin. My Mom had the poking feeling pain with some of hers, but she was very thin, (5'3 and 86 pounds) and I could see the little "knots"

 

[Smiley2000]

sternum wire removal: study

sternum wire removal: study

I found this study regarding sternum removal:

Objective: To evaluate the effect of wire removal on a consecutive series of patients with persistent anterior chest wall pain after median sternotomy. Methods: Ninety-five patients receiving sternal wire removal during the period January 1994–October 2001 were included in a follow-up study. Preoperative data, data from the primary operation, the postoperative course, and the sternal wire removal were collected from patient histories. The patients were attempted contacted by telephone, and interviewed about the outcome of the wire removal. Results: Wire removals were performed 2.7 ± 3.3 (SD) years (40 days–20 years) after the primary procedure. Wire removal appeared to occur more frequently in patients with allergies, patients receiving valve-related procedures, and patients that had been reoperated for surgical complications within the first month after the primary operation. In 79 patients, the pain was unrelated to skin affection or infection. Full follow-up was available for 71 patients. For 24 patients only partial follow-up was possible since the patients were dead (n = 19) or unreachable (n = 5). Of the patients followed up, 86% reported complete or partial relief of symptoms, while 11% reported no change in symptoms, and 3% reported worsening of symptoms after wire removal. In patients (n = 23) where symptoms appeared to be related to specific wires, only these were removed, and this approach produced as good results as for patients where all wires were removed. Conclusions: The surgical results were generally good. Sternal wire removal should be offered to patients with persistent anterior chest wall pain after sternotomy, when other serious postoperative complications have been excluded.

 

[Kristian]

Wait - the wires will set off the metal detectors? I asked about it after my surgery and was told that I wouldn't set them off.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I traveled a great deal in the 7 years that I had my wires and never set off a metal detector. In fact, shortly after my surgery I was called for jury duty, didn't want to risk strip search , so showed them my card and they hand scanned me with the wand. There was no beeping. I guess it depends on the metal that they use, but I've never heard that this was an issue.

 

[Lynlw]

Wait - the wires will set off the metal detectors? I asked about it after my surgery and was told that I wouldn't set them off.

Justin NEVER set off any security with his wires

 

[Lynlw]

When Justin was a toddler-young child, a year or so after surgery, he had these little spots that LOOKED like it could be wirse bothering him. What a surgeon did was tape little BBs on the spots we were concerned about and took a chest Xray to see if the BBs lined up with the wires on xray. They didn't so they ruled out the wire being the probem

 

[Jkm7]

I've flown many times since my OHS and never set off airport alarms.
I was never pain free after my first surgery. I was not willing to undergo a surgery to have wires removed so don't know if that was the cause of the pain.

I had second surgery four years later with same surgeon. I told him of my measurable pain and he said he'd try to find the reason for it and do what he could to avoid it that time. I am very much more comfortable. Never did ask him if he discovered the reason for my pain but am happy to only have weather related discomfort this time around.

 

[Herburban1]

I am trying to figure out if this is something that would help me..I babysit almost every day for toddlers. My niece likes to sleep on my chest which causes me to have a dull toothache like pain that goes up my neck...I can feel 2 of the wires and it's a creepy feeling when i touch them...I see my cardio in Feb. if it still bugs me I will ask then .'m not sure how much pain warrants removal?

 

[deedub]

wires

wires

Well, being a farm boy, I have done a little fencing. I thought from the x-rays that the Doc best spend some time down on the farm and learn about taking care of those twisted up ends. My top two give me grief, I think one may be broke as it sticks me on a regular basis, just as a reminder. So I am going to listen to the folks on this forum and go from there.
Every time I hit the metal detector the lights go right to the max, just before the wanders get buzzed or something? So I get a proceed with caution.

Can't they come up with dissolvable wires.