Numb Thumb

[selma]

I seem to recall someone else here having some issues, just wanted to check in. I had MVR and Tricuspid repair on May 11 and, ever since, my right thumb and right breast have been numb. Explanations? Am I weird? (Don't answer that!)
Thanks --
Selma

MVR/Tricuspid repair Mt. Sinai, Dr. David Adams, 5-11.

 

[Mom2izzy]

I think nerves are interesting things that get pinched in all sorts of weird ways when those doctors prop us open to do their work.

 

[selma]

I expect so. It's just so random! 1/2 a thumb and 1/2 a ****. Hope your recovery is proceeding apace. I'm knitting a little here and there, but my shoulders are incredibly tight. This too shall pass.

 

[SusQ]

Normal. Hubby has a spot on his belly, just below his rib cage, that is numb.

 

[epstns]

I'm about 15 months post-op and still have a spot on the "heel" of my right thumb that is mostly numb. That is in addition to the area on my chest near where the donor artery was taken for my bypass. Also, strange though it seems, if I press on parts of my scar, I can "feel" the pressure in the part of my chest that is numb from the bypass. Maybe they got the nerves crossed. Wonder what else is hooked up backward?

 

[RBCola]

The heel and the thumb could be nerve damage from pressure points or compression of the nerve during the operation. Most of the time anesthesia is good at preventing this by putting padding.,During long operations you are immobile so if your thumb is in the wrong position and compressed you can get some nerve damage.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

 

[epstns]

True - when I asked about it at the hospital they said this often happens and that it should subside. It is way better than it was at first, and not a problem at the present. If it gets no better, life is still good!

 

[TheGymGuy]

I had some numbness in my thumb and pointy finger post OHS and it worked out over several weeks. The numbness on my clavicle scar is better but there are still some numb spots 8 weeks post OHS. I was told it might take up to a year for things to work themselves out.

 

[epstns]

Hope it all works out. I have a surgical scar from over 40 years ago, and there are still numb spots on either side of the scar. No serious complications, just feels funny.

 

[karla]

I expect so. It's just so random! 1/2 a thumb and 1/2 a ****. Hope your recovery is proceeding apace. I'm knitting a little here and there, but my shoulders are incredibly tight. This too shall pass.

You're right - it will pass. My surgery was 3/7 and half my chest was also numb for quite awhile. It gradually got better though there were some pretty weird sensations at times...electric shock feelings, random pains, etc as the nerves woke up and started to regenerate. When they do our surgery, they use retractors to pull things apart and hold the hole in our chest open so they can get to where they need to get. That, positioning as someone else mentioned, and the cutting of the nerves themselves leads to the initial numbness and weird feelings later.
I still have some numb areas around the incision and it is still sore around the incision and into both sides of my chest. Not painful, just sore.
The shoulders will gradually get better, too. One day down the road you will think, "Wow - my shoulders didn't bother me today at all!"
Hang in there.

 

[WilliamJE]

A little mentioned side effect of OHS is the chance of a brachial plexus injury. For the surgery they have your body stretched out in a fashion that's not normal and the injury occurs.

I had valve replacement and repair of an ascending aortic aneurism in 2008. One of the first things I noticed was the numbness in my right hand. Been living with it ever since, its uncomfortable and painful and when its really unbearable, the discomfort goes down my middle finger to almost my elbow. I'm right handed and I'm a writer so its a problem.

Doctors to make a long story short- No one ever told me 'brachial plexus injury' at anytime to me post op. I only learned of the injury I suffered when someone replied to a blog post of mine at a non-medical related blog. Doctors even said a carpal tunnel injury. I believed it and had the surgery for it. It did squat.

 

[clfhangr]

selma,
I had a total root replacement done on May 7th and am dealing with numbness in the left hand as well. All of my fingers but my pinky are completely numb and half of my palm. They told me this is from the positioning done during the surgery and it should resolve in 6 to 8 weeks. I am at 4 weeks now and hope they are right as it is a killer for typing and I make my living doing software development. I also have a numb spot on the outside of my upper right thigh. Other than that though everything else is ok.