6wks post op, broken clips

[ljmetcalfe]

Hi, I'm new here and I'm actually writing on behalf of my 5yo son who had the Ross procedure aortic & pulmonary valve replacements 6 weeks ago. He has 3 bumps under his skin, one is right under the incision, two are slightly to the side. They are apparently 3 clips or stitches that have come undone. He has been x-rayed and apparently no special attention needed for now, just watch in case they get inflamed or come through the skin. But we are told these clips should dissolve over time, my question is how long? Anyone had this experience?

Thanks for any insights.

Lynda, Mum to Joel

 

[Marguerite53]

Good morning and welcome to our wonderful community. You will probably continue to have questions about your precious son's recovery and I know you will get some useful answers here. Alas....not from me, today! I just wanted to pop in and say welcome!

I had no experience with loosening stitches, but several here have and I'm sure they will be along to comment. It must be crazy trying to keep a bouyant 5 year old within their parameters of how to best recover, movement-wise! If they are not concerned, it will work out fine. Do keep a close eye on the quality of the healing (watch for infection) and pay attention to how he is pain-wise.....that is.....believe him if he complains about something!

Never be reluctant or shy about calling your doctors with your questions. Oftentimes, the surgeons' have Physician's Assistants and that is one of their main roles....to field question. You have a right to answers. And if you don't understand the answers, call back and get better answers!!

Best wishes to you!

Marguerite

 

[Mary]

Hi Lynda.

I can't answer your specific question, but I do want to say, "Welcome!"
I've also sent you a private message so I hope you receive it soon.
We have many moms on the forum whose children have undergone replacement, and I'm sure they will be around shortly to greet you and perhaps answer your question.

 

[Lynlw]

Hi, I'm a little confused, are you talking about disolving stitches? The only clips I know of are inside and don't disolve.Lyn

 

[Bina]

Hello Lynda and welcome.
Halfway down my incision, I have 3 bumps, just barely under the skin, and I am told it is the sternum wires.
I'm thin, so it shows and is sometimes bothersome.
A couple of members here have had the wires removed later on. Maybe they will chime in.

 

[hall]

Hi and welcome Lynda. I too, did not have clips. Someone will come through though I am sure. Just wanted to welcome you and hope your son is doing well. Looking forward to hearing from you on your sons recovery.

 

[briansmom]

Welcome Linda!
Sorry you have to be part of this group, but now that you are, feel free to post anything.
I have always had problems with stitches not dissolving. Eventually, they either work their way out or get a little infection. If they get infected the doc just goes in and pulls them out.

Please be sure that they are talking about dissolving stitches and not the sternum wire.

 

[WayneGM]

Welcome to VR. Glad you found us. Sorry, but I haven't experienced what you asked about so can't offer any insights about it. I just wanted to welcome you.

 

[ljmetcalfe]

Thanks for the welcome!!!

Thanks for the welcome!!!

Thank you all for the welcome, what a friendly group, its very nice to hear from you!

Here is a pic of Joel 8 days post-op. He really came through everything with flying colours.

The lumps under his skin are not the dissolving skin sutures, they are the clips that held his sternum together, the same as the wires would. He did not have wires, the x-ray showed that yesterday. 3 of the clips have broken. I will try and attach a pic to another message

 

[ljmetcalfe]

pic of lumps from clips

pic of lumps from clips

this pic is not terribly clear, took a short movie on the camera which shows it better as you can see different angles from the light but of course its 13mb for just 15sec.

 

[skeptic49]

Lynda, Joel is a great looking little guy and a real trooper! I hope you can get the answers you need and I wish the very best for his recovery!

Jim

 

[gadoty1]

I had wires not clips but for about 2 years or so i had a wire that made a bump on the top part of my incision that i could feel. Now i can't feel it anymore and it doesn't bother me. you'd be surprised how much better everything looks after you give it lots of time to heal. It does take a long time for the sternum to get back to "normal" too.

 

[netmiff]

can't help either of you much with the bumps, just wanted to say welcome. This forum is a good place to be if you need help with questions.

 

[SHEEPDOG]

Sorry to say...

Sorry to say...

... I cant help either. Your son is REALLY a brave kid to go through all this. I was only 2 days out of the hospital at 8 days POST OP and here he is getting pictures taken. He is a REAL SUPERHERO. Much braver than I was i'm sure. As for you mom, I have a 6 y/o son and don't know how you do it. All those out there with kids having surgery are SUPERHERO parents. Keep up the good work!
As for the clips, ask the docs what can be done. they owe HIM the best they can give.

 

[ljmetcalfe]

Thanks again for more replies!

Thanks again for more replies!

Gadoty - glad your wire bump went down, I am hoping they don't have to go in again and do anything with Joel.

I did try and get in touch with our contact surgical nurse for the surgeon at Duke (where he had surgery) but she's off till Mon so will call back.

And Sheepdog, we don't get a choice about having 'a heart kid' - we knew when he was 2 days old, almost got the new valve in his first week but he coped with a huge gradient really well, he is SO LUCKY that his aortic valve was the ONLY thing he had wrong. He didn't have his first catheter balloon till 9months, 2nd one at 3yrs which left a big old regurgitation. Knowing Joel had this surgery ahead all this time has made living a normal life just a bit mentally hard work but he never seemed like 'a sick kid' - our ped card. has chastised me over saying this before now! He's always had good growth rates, skin color & general health. But I can honestly say I am now feeling more relaxed and able to focus on other things in life than I have for 5 years. Its done, he was out in 5 days, is running round like a whirlwind, is now getting out of breath and running with real boyish vigor which he has not done before so Yay for new valves!!!

Thanks for listening,

Lynda

Mum to Joel, 5yo, Ross procdedure for AS 070208

 

[pamela]

I think this material is the same sort of compound now used in knee ligament reconstruction. I have an absorbable screw holding my ACL graft in place. The doctor didn't give me any time frame with my knee, just said "eventually".

If his sternum slips apart you could be looking at a repair sternotomy so that the edges of the bone marry up properly. Definitely talk to the nurse, at least and if she can't answer your concerns, at least she can refer you directly to the surgeon.

Take Heart and welcome to the VR community,
Pamela

 

[Dawn-Marie]

Hi Lynda ~ I have no answers for you, but i wanted to join the others in welcoming you to the VR Community. My best wishes and prayers are with Joel for a smooth recovery.

 

[Phyllis]

Lynda, I just want to welcome you and let you know that I hope you get the answers you need on Monday. I hold all of you "heart moms" in the highest esteem!