Low BP after Valve rapair?

kevin21 · Dec 2, 2004

Hi all,

My wife's cousin had surgery on her aortic to repair the valve. I guess they did the min invasive procedure, no sternum cracking.

She's had a very low BP after surgery and has had to have a blood transfusion. (which I don't know how that relates, I need more info on transfusions).

Is low BP common after valve surgery? I think it is but usually they can correct it with drugs I thought??

****Also,

Anyone that has had surgery, (which I have but was young) can you set up donating your own blood for yourself, or I guess storing it, before your surgery? I think I heard that a family member or you can schedule to give blood to be given to you in or after surgery so you don't run as much risk of getting Hep C or Aids from donated blood????

kevin21 · Dec 2, 2004

Anyone... anyone... Bueller... Bueller...

(Ferris Bueller's day off)

tobagotwo · Dec 2, 2004

"If we run it in reverse, the miles will come off."

- Mine was like a 6-year-old's in the hospital. It was wonderful. I'm eight months out, and it's currently a little above my pre-surgical BP. If it's not harmful or life-threatening, just enjoy it...

- Internal bleeding can lower blood pressure and cause them to transfuse blood, especially since you're on anticlotting agents for a bit after surgery, but it's usually more of an emergency procedure at that point. Other than that, I can't imagine how the transfusion would relate to it. It sounds like she could have an unrelated blood cell or platelet condition, or anemia.

- You can set up to predonate blood for yourself. The kicker is that they don't like to let aortic valve patients donate blood, because they're usually dealing with insufficiencies anyway. Also, many surgeons, like mine, will tell you that you won't need any blood for an AVR, so there's no reason to do it.

If it's for some other surgery, then the answer is just yes, you can usually predonate your own blood, barring certain prescriptions or conditions. You should contact your surgeon's office or the hospital to determine how far in advance you can do it, and how to arrange it with them. If Betty happens along, she will know more.

Best wishes,

Christina L · Dec 2, 2004

I needed

I needed

two units of blood right after my surgery because my heart rate was in the 40-50s and my blood pressure was like around 80/50 - yikes.

I felt absolutely terrible before they gave me the blood. I don't know why this is the case (needing blood) after surgery but it sometimes is. I was told after my surgery by my cardiologist that I have always been "slightly anemic." Well, no one told me that!!! Just goes to show that you should ask to see your records and go over them with your doctor.

You can donate your own blood before the surgery or have someone donate for you. I did not do that thinking that I wouldn't need blood. Hindsight is 20/20.

Christina L.

MomOfThree · Dec 2, 2004

Hi!

Hi!

Hi! I'm scheduled for an AVR this month. After asking the question, I was told that some folks need blood after AVR surgery. I was also told that I cannot donate (I think Bob explained why). Someone that I know that has gone through this surgery (and needed blood) suggested that friends and family donate blood. That's what I'm planning ... just in case.
-Martha

KathyH · Dec 2, 2004

I don't think too many of us have had a transfusion with our surgery, but you never know if you need it. If you are able to have family donate blood for you that is great, but if you can't you will be reassured to know that they test the donors blood for Hiv and hepatitis before their blood goes anywhere. You may have heard that some have gotten hepatitis C from blood, that is because they didn't have a test to check for hepatitis C until after 1992.
Kathy H

Gemma · Dec 3, 2004

Jim's BP did sink a bit low while in the ICU a few hours after his surgery, but he didn't get any blood - just some glucose and I think another fluid but can't remember what it was. There was about 1/3-1/2 a pint of blood drained out through the chest drain tube so I'd imagine that's why his BP dropped, although it could (?) have been something to do with the general anaesthetic - his BP also nose-dived a few years ago when he had his tonsils removed (although this was before his BAV was diagnosed so the valve may have had something to do with the low BP that time)... Never got a decent explanation as to why they didn't notice something was up back then...