Recovery for minimally invasive surgery**my 1st post!!

[tonysung]

My big day is coming soon, and I m really nervous abt it.
Hi everybody, this is my first post here. I am a 20 yr old male. I had Endocarditis last month, and I have scheduled a aortic valve replacement later this month by minimally invasive surgery in bay area, california. I have some questions regarding the recovery.

1) Is it less painful of having minimally invasive surgery than the traditional method?
2) Do i need a recliner for sleeping at home after discharge from hospital?
3) Do I need to rent a place next to the hospital for a week after discharge? cos my home is an hour away from it.

btw, Im still deciding which surgeon I should choose to do my surgery.
How do you recommend Dr. Vincent Gaudiani @Sequoia VS Dr. Craig Miller @ stanford.

Thanks!!

 

[Luana]

Hi,
I had AVR surgery in November with a minimally invasive port access incision, no sternotomy, incision is probably less than 3 inches in length and is about 3 or 4 inches down from my collar bone on the right side. Is that what's planned for your surgery, or is it a smaller sternotomy?

Never had OHS before so I have nothing to compare it to, but pain after my surgery was minimal indeed. I'd say on a scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being the worst, my pain was about a 2.5 at the most painful times. Sore after surgery, but no big pain and I was not on large doses of pain meds. Probably the worst discomfort I had was several weeks after when I was doing more, lifting, reaching, etc., was that I got some soreness on that side of my chest.

I did have surgery years ago for a herniated disc in my lower back and did not have much pain from that either. That's the only other surgery I've had to compare it to.

Didn't need a recliner when I got home; good thing, because I don't have one!

You should be ok to be home when you're discharged, however cardiologist will probably want to see within 7 - 10 days afterward, so if it's easier to stay close, then do that. Talk to your cardiologist now and see what he/she thinks. Also ask the nurse when you go in for your pre-op stuff; they will be very helpful with what you'll need after recovery, and before you're discharged you'll get advice, too.

Wishing you all the best!

 

[tonysung]

Where did you do your Port access sugery? I dont know much about it. I still havent seen mt surgeon.
BTW, How old are you?

 

[Luana]

My surgery was at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach Ca. I am older than you are. I wanted it because I thought it wold be less painful. My surgeon was fine with doing it when I first met him, he assured me he was 90% confident that was the approach he could do. The deciding factor would be the results of a CT scan he ordered of my heart. After he saws that he said he'd have no problem with that approach.

You may want to make a list of things to ask your surgeon when you meet, especially so you can be clear with what his plans are. I don' t know anything about the surgeons you mentioned, but if I had to chose on the hospital, I would select Stanford. I know there are others here who've had valve replacements at Stanford, not sure of the doctor.

Luana

 

[Mentu]

Welcome, Tony

Welcome, Tony

Tony, welcome to VR. I've had a somewhat different experience which only demonstrates that there is a lot of variation with respect to how we respond to surgery. Last September, I was 59 when my AV was replaced but I was still in pretty good health and had no other heart disease. It seems that as a general rule, younger and healthier people bounce back quicker but it just not possible to predict the response of any individual. With my AVR, I had a full sternotomy but instead of closing my chest with wires, my surgeon used a set of clamps.

http://www.klsmartin.com/Sternal-Talon-R.674+B6Jkw9Mg__.0.html

I never had any deep pain in the chest. Coughing, sneezing and moving around were never a problem even that first day in the recovery room after leaving the ICU. I was very stiff and my chest muscles were easily strained but that is likely to be the case for any type of OHS. Before surgery my younger brother gave me a recliner because I sleep on a water bed and a number of people thought it would be difficult to use for awhile. From my first night home, however, I slept in my own bed and except for the occassional afternoon cat nap have never slept in the recliner.

Keep in mind that my experience is still somewhat novel but it does demonstrate that there are a lot more options today than ever before and that the new techniques available now not only make valve replacement safer than ever before but also much more tolerable. I came to this experience expecting it to be traumatic but it just has not proven to be so. I hope things go well for you.

Larry

 

[mainframe]

Dr. Miller did my surgery and I think he is a first rate surgeon. While I had more complicatoins than most, the care I received from Dr. Miller and Stanford was top-notch. I would recommend both Dr. Miller and Stanford. I had a traditional sternotomy at age 52.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[tonysung]

Thanks all !!! you guys are soooo nice.
btw, which mechanical valve did u guys use?

 

[Luana]

I have a St. Jude Medical Regent. Surgeon's first choice was the On-X, but it didn't fit right, or something to that effect.

 

[Luana]

PS I did have a pretty significant cough for about a week after surgery and it did not hurt to cough. I sneezed once in the hospital and that did not hurt either. I know sneezing is real tough for those who have had sternotomies, and coughing can hurt, too.

When is your surgery scheduled?

 

[Dexter Bob]

I am now about 8 weeks out from AVR. Had the "full-meal-deal" OHS. I am 56 and was in excellent shape prior to surgery. I am recovering quickly with little pain. Having a recliner was a godsend as I slept in that for about 10 days post hospital discharge. Laying flat in the bed brought on coughing spells that hurt worse than anything. The sticky on this forum for post surgery has lots of good info. Good luck!

Bob

 

[olefin]

2) Do i need a recliner for sleeping at home after discharge from hospital?
3) Do I need to rent a place next to the hospital for a week after discharge? cos my home is an hour away from it.

2) No, I slept in my own bed, it felt good being home after being in the hospital for 20 days.
3) No, I lived 550 miles from the hospital and flew home as soon as released from hospital.

 

[tonysung]

Hi Everybody,
You guys are so good, n thanks so much for the help.
I have met craig miller@stanford, and planned for having AVR with st jude valve this FRIDAY and having pre-op tomorrow.
I wanna know if it is possible to have a private room?
Do I really need a robe?, cos its written on the patient handbook.

 

[Dexter Bob]

Don't know about Stanford for private rooms. Where I was, everything was private. As for the robe; I bought one but never used it. I had an IV right up to discharge so for my "hallway strolls" they just double gown'd me to accomadate the IV tree/rollaround.

Bob