Newbie, Need Advice

[mwedlake]

Hi Everyone. I am a 47yr old overweight female diagnosed 2 weeks ago with a Left Atrial Myxoma. I went to the St Francis Hospital er with abdomen pain, which ended up being gallstones and resulted in gallbladder surgery on Mar 1. While I was in the er they did a ct scan to check for blood clots and found the tumor in my heart.

The cardio and surgeon at St Francis recommend I lose 50 lbs before open heart surgery, which means a delay of 3-6 months. The reason they give is because if I don't they would have to use steel plates instead of wire to close my sternum, which would be a much more difficult recovery. However, another surgeon at the hospital said the tumor could flake or break off and enter my bloodstream and possible cause a stroke.

I'm trying to weigh the risk of a stroke against the steel plates. Has anyone been advised to lose weight before OHS? Has anyone had the steel plates instead of wire? How about OHS surgery in Oklahoma? I saw where Okla Heart Institute uses "talons" instead of steel plates. Any experience with those?

Thank you for any info you can give me to help make my decision.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hello and welcome to our wonderful community.

You have a unique set of circumstances and I'm not sure how much experience you will find here, but you will find support!!

I do remember someone mentioning the "talons" so why don't you try a search, here, using that term. Others may come along and better remember who or what was said.

I must say that if it were me, I would want a second opinion from somewhere. Chances are you are getting excellent advice, but most of us, if we have time, do get second opinions.

Good luck and keep posting. We are here to support and help give you voice with your doctors.

Marguerite

 

[nngbwh]

I just want to say Hi and welcome you to VR. I don't have much experience. Hopefully someone will help. Goodl luck and keep us posted.

 

[Freddie]

Hi and welcome Miss Lake, sorry I can't help you either.
The weekends can be a little slow sometimes, hopefully someone will come around and help you with your questions.

 

[mainframe]

Mentu had talons and discusses in this http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?37726-Sternal-Closure-questions thread.

 

[DebbyA]

Welcome to the forums! You certainly have a rare condition. Just checking very quickly, I saw that the Cleveland Clinic has a page on robotic surgery for your condition, so paths to pursue might be whether robotic surgery for your condition is performed in Okla, or whether you can go to a specialist center elsewhere. With robotic surgery, your sternum is not cut open. If you don't get many answers to your 'newbie' post, go ahead and post your specific questions individually. You want to get the attention of anyone who has a steel plate, for example.

I echo everything Marguerite wrote, and wish I could say it so well. Please keep asking questions here and of the medical community.

Best wishes,
Debby

 

[mwedlake]

Thanks everyone, for your support and advice. I have read and messaged Mentu about the talons, and am going to check with Oklahoma Heart Institute about their minimally invasive surgery and about the talons instead of a steel plate. Of course, I have to go my pcp first and get a referral, so may take a few weeks! But that's better than 3-6 months!

Thanks again.
Melissa

 

[Greg a]

I too would be looking at another opinion as living with a sternal injurie or even without one (mine was taken in 2007) is preferable to the alternative stroke or death due to........
as chris/mainframe said Larry/mentu has strteda thread on Talons and in that thread the superglue approach is also highlighted and talked about by one of the first to benefit from Krytonite Luckguy57 http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?37726-Sternal-Closure-questions&p=490266#post490266
for the time being , a heart felt WELCOME to our OHS family glad you are getting the information that you are seeking and there is swealth of knowledge here for the future .....
a list of acronyms and short forms http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?27413-List-of-Acronyms-and-Glossary

what to ask pre surgery http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?26668-Pre-surgery-consultation-list-of-questions

what to take with you to the hospital http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?13283-what-to-take-to-the-hospital-a-checklist

Preparing the house for post surgical patients http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?19034-Getting-Comfortable-Around-the-House&p=218802

These are from various forum stickies and there is plenty more to read as well

Hi Everyone. I am a 47yr old overweight female diagnosed 2 weeks ago with a Left Atrial Myxoma. I went to the St Francis Hospital er with abdomen pain, which ended up being gallstones and resulted in gallbladder surgery on Mar 1. While I was in the er they did a ct scan to check for blood clots and found the tumor in my heart.

The cardio and surgeon at St Francis recommend I lose 50 lbs before open heart surgery, which means a delay of 3-6 months. The reason they give is because if I don't they would have to use steel plates instead of wire to close my sternum, which would be a much more difficult recovery. However, another surgeon at the hospital said the tumor could flake or break off and enter my bloodstream and possible cause a stroke.

I'm trying to weigh the risk of a stroke against the steel plates. Has anyone been advised to lose weight before OHS? Has anyone had the steel plates instead of wire? How about OHS surgery in Oklahoma? I saw where Okla Heart Institute uses "talons" instead of steel plates. Any experience with those?

Thank you for any info you can give me to help make my decision.

 

[Mentu]

I forgot to tell you

I forgot to tell you

I forgot to tell you that at Oklahoma Heart you get a great bear.

View attachment 8917

Larry

 

[AJB]

Welcom to the site. sorry I do not have any advise for you on this subject other then get a second opinon.

AJB

 

[mwedlake]

Well, I short-cutted the referral process by going to the ER on Wed. Had dizziness and shortness of breath. Got admitted to Oklahoma Heart Institute, which is where I wanted to get the second opinion from. They don't feel my weight is a problem at all, and think the risk of stroke is too great to put off the surgery for 3-6 months. Particularly since I'm having the dizziness. So, had the angiogram yesterday (no blockages yea!), and am home until I go in to open heart surgery on Thursday, March 24. I really appreciate your posts here and on other areas of the site. I've been able to learn an amazing amount about open heart surgery and what to expect by reading everyone's experiences. Thank you all!

 

[Lynlw]

I'm sorry for the reason you had to go to the ER, but glad going there got you into surgery sooner. Will someone update us before you can get online?

 

[mwedlake]

Hi Lyn. I'll have my husband log on and update. Great idea. Thanks!