9 Years and a question

[joel1947]

Replacement of Aortic valve 9 years ago with St. Judes Trifecta tissue valve. ALl has been good, but I just had a chest X-ray for unrelated reasons and there was a note that one of the wires in my sternum has fractured. My cardiologist says not to worry. But of course I worry a little bit. Anyone know whether this is a common thing and whether it can cause other problems?

Thanks,

 

[pellicle]

Hi Joel

My cardiologist says not to worry

I agree entirely. The bone is long since knitted and the wire serves utterly no purpose. If there was a convenient non-risky way to remove them they would.

In fact they serve as nothing more than minor problems in later surgeries.

I've got leftover trash from years of surgeries

looking carefully there what may at first glance appear to be a double image is in fact other left over wires. (*not to mention the odd staple).

HTH

PS
https://www.valvereplacement.org/threads/can-you-break-a-sternum-wire-two-years-postop.43536/

 

[tom in MO]

Some people on this forum had trouble with their wires, but they were in discomfort, you are not. The wires can be removed if it ever happens to you.