Memory Loss, Cognitive Problems Post-Surgery?

[AceofHearts]

I have read about an alarming side-effect of OHS that seems to be rather scary, especially with me being a rather young person about to have my first heart surgery. I have read that at least half of those who undergo OHS have diminished brain function whether long or short-term, mainly because of the heart-lung machine, which can pump tiny bits of plastic and toxic chemicals into the body, blocking arteries in the brain. Has anyone had experiences with this or overcoming this? Do you know people this has happened to?

 

[Guyswell]

Ace,

I had similar concerns about "pump head" before my first surgery. I've had open heart surgery two times and I have no cognitive deficit. I do forget things sometimes but I've always been a little absent-minded and I am 49 years old now I can still help my kids with their math homework.

The problems you've read about are more common in older patients, can improve over time, and are not the norm. I believe some of the temporary cognitive symptoms some patients experience are probably also related to hours of general anesthesia during surgery and all the narcotic pain killers in the weeks after surgery. With my first surgery, my ascending aorta was repaired with a conduit. This required deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest for about 10 minutes (no heart beat and pump turned off). I believe the surgical team may have used retrograde perfusion to send oxygenated blood backwards through my brain and vital organs during circulatory arrest. Even with all that, I have no cognitive problems.

I just had my aortic valve replaced again 7 weeks ago and I feel back to normal. In fact, I feel better than before my surgery.

The internet can be a great place to educate yourself about what you're going through. You'll find lots of information including all the things that can sometimes go wrong. The problem is that we patients just don't have the years of experience to estimate the actual risks WE face. Talk openly with your cardiologist and surgeon about your concerns. They can help you keep everything in perspective and avoid overestimating the odds of a problem in your case.

Good luck.

 

[dick0236]

I have read that at least half of those who undergo OHS have diminished brain function whether long or short-term, mainly because of the heart-lung machine, which can pump tiny bits of plastic and toxic chemicals into the body, blocking arteries in the brain. Has anyone had experiences with this or overcoming this? Do you know people this has happened to?

Hi AceofHearts and welcome. I know this forum can help you separate "fiction from fact" regarding some of the stuff you may hear or read. For many, there is a short time post surgery that we may experience some brain fog and memory loss as our body overcomes the anesthesia and trauma of the event. I honestly do not recall any problems with brain function in any way. Huh?? "Tiny bits of plastic and toxic chemicals".......that's a new one. Stick around, we have some who send us E-mailes from their ICU....so I'm pretty sure they are very lucid, very quickly.

 

[marc_kowal]

I'm six months out from having my AVR and I can honestly say that I've experienced no memory loss or problems concentrating. As a matter of fact, as soon as I woke up from surgery I was very lucid. I remembered what date it was, what time my surgery was and I gave my wife a hand signal I told her to look for to let her know that I was truely "all there" and not just a shell answering yes or no questions. BTW, the hand signal was the ol' "Hang loose" sign. (we thought it would be funny).

 

[Mom2izzy]

I didn't have any memory issues either and was told that the newer pumps are easier on the brain. Anesthesia and hard core pain meds DO mess with my brain (among other things), so I got off them as quickly as possible. My biggest "cognitive" type issue was a lack of mental focus that lasted for a few weeks or so. I attribute that more to the shock of what my body had been through than the pump.

 

[normofthenorth]

There was a study done at Duke or maybe UNC that estimated that something like 40% of OHS patients felt that they had experienced some significant mental impairment, aka "pump-head". My info indicates that most of it is due to drugs rather than the bypass.

In my long "Norm's Story. . ." blog/thread, I tell of my various pre-op negotiations with my anaesthesiologist(s), which ended up with me getting an unusually low dose of benzodiazepines (a family of anti-anxiety meds that's known to cause retrograde amnesia) during my AVR/OHS. I woke up feeling quite cogent and "me", and have had no special mental impairment in the 21 months since. Can't say that I have a perfect memory or brain at 67yo, but it's not bad, and not noticeably worse since the OHS.

 

[Debbrn]

Hello AceofHearts,

I had my 4th heart surgery over 2 years ago. I am 46 years old. I have been on the heart/lung machine 3 times. After the last surgery I had a short period of time when I just could not think as fast as before. Now I am better than before surgery.

Debbie

 

[Fundy]

There's definitely been members here that mention they feel the surgery affected their memory significantly. However, I think if anything happened after surgery regarding memory and cognitive function for myself, it was an improvement. My mind definitely feels better for sure.

 

[epstns]

I'll second the notion that. . . I forgot. . . JUST KIDDING!

I was solidly into middle age at time of surgery (was 63) and I was one of the ones on my cell phone sending email and reading the boards from the cardiac unit. And that's after some pretty scary complications and the implantation of a pacemaker. I don't notice any cognitive impairment, and in my job I would notice it if it was present. I am the Chief Financial Officer of a manufacturing company - not a job for those who crave a calm 9 to 5 existance. I'm doing better than I was before surgery -- no mental degradation beyond that which was present prior to surgery (I'm kidding again) and I have more stamina to keep at it all day.

I spoke with my anaesthesiologist about "pump-headedness" before surgery, then decided to tell them to just do their job the way they felt they needed to. No issues here, and as I mentioned before, I had all sorts of heart rhythm issues post-op. Almost all of us do just fine, and I would bet that you will, too.

 

[joanie]

I had the opposite problem. I had fairly severe cognitive issues prior to surgery (not enough blood getting to my brain) but I was fine after surgery. It was almost like the fog cleared in the OR.

2+ years post surgery I'm amazed at how well I feel - much more energy than I've had for more than 10 years.

 

[Greg a]

Wikipedia defines "pump head" as Postperfusion syndrome, also known as "pumphead" is a constellation of neurocognitive impairments attributed to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during cardiac surgery. Symptoms of postperfusion syndrome are subtle and include defects associated with attention, concentration, short term memory, fine motor function, and speed of mental and motor responses.[1] Studies have shown a high incidence of neurocognitive deficit soon after surgery, but the deficits are often transient with no permanent neurological impairment.[1][2][/ For more on this see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postperfusion_syndrome in all that I have looked at it indicates it is temporary

 

[Greg a]

A bit of comic relief

A bit of comic relief

A BIT OF COMIC RELIEF

 

[TheGymGuy]

There is lots of information on here about "pump-head". I will weigh-in with my experience. It's been close to 5 month post-op, and I still remember first day post OHS as if it was last week. I can still add, subtract and multiply. Division is still a bit difficult... Just kidding! I spoke with my anesthesiologist at length about the condition and they assured me that even if it was to happen it reverses with time.

Still, there are some articles on here about "pump-head" with research attached, and I believe the good folks above have good weigh-in as well.

 

[karla]

Hi,
Pumphead was one of my big concerns, also, before surgery. For a good 6 months preop, I did not feel cognitively "sharp". I noticed almost immediately ( after anesthesia wore off) that the mental fog was lifted and it has not returned.

 

[tina]

I am a year out from surgery and I feel I am more forgetful. I do feel that it is getting better though.

 

[pdxtom1]

I am coming up on two years post-op, and I do have memory problems. Some things just don't stick, and names are especially nettlesome. It's like not being able to retrieve a file from a big cabinet. It's not gone, but it's there, and sometimes it comes back. I get around it by taking notes of any action items and making to-do lists at work. It is very frustrating when something important goes "lost" from memory
That said, I can't say for sure that it is related to my surgery. It may be coincidence -- like the fact that, at this time of year the sun comes up after I retrieve the newspaper from the sidewalk, which doesn't mean fetching the paper causes the sun to come up. Unfortunately there do not seem to be many reliable, peer-reviewed studies on this.
All that said, perspective: Without the surgery and artificial valve, I'd be dead. Better, as a friend reminds me from time to time, to wake up on the right side of the grass in the morning.

 

[AceofHearts]

I see. This may or may not have to do with the age of the patient as well. My surgeon said it had to do with it. I actually do not feel any cognitive problems now and am recovering quickly from the recent AVR. I do feel like my attention span may be diminished, but hey that's always been a problem

 

[epstns]

I seem to make more typong errers now, but my work is just as sharp as always. . .

 

[jenebug]

Hello to all. This is my first day on the site and my first post/answer. I don't know if it is because of my age (65) or the pump, but I have noticed a little fogginess since surgery. I had aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve, 16 days ago. I am doing well, except for the soreness, etc that is to be expected. Since being home,I 've gained or lost a day once in a while, or found myself double checking dates for appointments or medicine schedules. I'm sure a lot of this is just from having to adapt to the changes in my life, and fully expect the fog to lift in time. I have never been one to take a lot of pain killers, and considering the doses of morphine I was given, no wonder I'm a little foggy! LOL

 

[SCCWS]

I think our bodies can have very different reactions to sugeries and medication. I have a good friend who was taking one of the statins for cholesterol. He is 61 and through the years when a group of our families and friends get together, he has joked for many years that the 60's are mostly a blur to him. Recently he read where statins can affect memory. He stopped taking his statin and he said after a week, he felt like a cloud had been lifted from him. He felt like so many things he forgot all of a sudden returned. He told his doctor who said it was a coincidence. But he decided, as great as they say the statin drug is, to him being able to remember so much is more important than the benefits of the statin. He always marveled at my memory and I take a statin. So who knows