sternal dehiscence?

[corky]

Haven't done much but read posts lately, had ascending aneurysm repair in August. Did fine................
Until, I hounded the surgeons office trying to report that I felt sutures that were supposed to absorb hadn't absorbed, about 25% of incision. Causing some irritability and sensitivity

Doctor didn't seem to take much interest in outer incision, but kept poking the incision itself. Seems he palpated the actual bone of the sternum.
He thinks that the sternum hasn't healed well, or correctly. Kind of a furrow down the middle of the bone...Slightly painful, a number one on a scale of 1-10. Only when touched.
Now he wants me to have a cat scan, to see if what he suspects is truly true. Then he recommends surgery to "clean it out"How do you wonderful folks face Another surgery?

This is such a bummer, also require surgery on my back, which I put off because I dislike the idea of back surgery. Herniated disc it seems spinal stenosis also (narrowing of spine which also puts pressure on nerves) Had 3 epidurals in December 2003, felt great for exactly 20 days.
Now this,
Thanks for listening/\Love, Corky

PS how come I have to sign in each time now? I don't know what's different. How can I get the computer to accept "cookies" ? Is that my problem?

 

[bvdr]

Hi Corky,

So sorry you are having problems. Just try to take it one day at a time. Get your Cat Scan and see what shows up. If there is a problem then it is better to fix it before it gets worse.

I had back surgery about ten years ago. I too had 3 epidurals before I had my back surgery. The first one was the only one that gave me significant relief. A spinal nerve became entrapped by a disc fragment before surgery and I was in agony, probably a 9 on a 1 to 10 scale. I remember end-stage labor as about an 8, and heart surgery no more than a 5/6. The pain with the back surgery was more like a 3/4. Surgery brought wonderful wonderful relief! I know some people don't get the results they hoped but I was one whose surgery was a wonderful success. I waited longer than I should have and do have some nerve damage and weakness in my right leg but not enough to affect my day to day living.

I have had several other major surgeries and consider my back surgery as the one that was the least painful.

Please let us know as soon as you find out the plan.

 

[corky]

Thanks Betty

Thanks Betty

I see you are and RN Too. I used to work on the orthopedic floor, as well as elsewhere. Thats one of the reasons I hesitate on back surgery. Ugh, I used to get really tired of back patients, seems like they are always complaining, so I try not to.
Thanks for encouragement, seems like I am more discouraged with clean up of sternum and or back surgery than I was about the aneurysm repair, of course, I had no choice in that repair.
Thanks again folks, and you too Betty

Corky

 

[Ross]

PS how come I have to sign in each time now? I don't know what's different. How can I get the computer to accept "cookies" ? Is that my problem?

Corky what browser and version are you using? The browser must accept cookies. Your account is set correctly, but it appears your browser is not or your deleting the forum cookies between visits. Let me know, I'll get you fixed up.

 

[corky]

Now I am a little bit more happy camper!

Now I am a little bit more happy camper!

Hi there,
After about 2 weeks or more, I had a cat scan, then waited a week as I was told by Doc. Started bugging him, finally heard on Friday about the Cat scan. Go figure! No problem with sternum healing, just a non-symetrical chest. Nothing one would notice, except they do tell me when they try to mammograms. So healing is good.
Possible a wire is causing some discomfort, which might have caused part of incision to product keloid. Not big, may Want surgery later (who Wants surgery?) but if the irritation gets too irritating possible, down the road. When one knows the real cause of irritation and sensitivity it's easier to deal with, it's the unknown that drives us batty.
As for back surgery, think I will call ortho doc tomorrow. Lets' get going............
thanks for support,
love corky

 

[corky]

New surgery scheduled April 13th

New surgery scheduled April 13th

Hi ya'all,
Now I have date for spinal decompression, due to spinal stenosis, (I bet this forum surely knows what stenosis is, right?) Doc says if I don't have surgery I will be paraplegic, goodness don't want that!
Lots of pain in back and sciatic too. Too long, about 20 years plus. So hopefully will get this behind me, pun intended.
Got ok from cardio today, donated autologous blood today, MRI next week, preop stuff next week etc. etc. You all know the routine.
Cat scan of chest shows possible wires or wire poking me from the inside, I was surprised to see that I have only 4 wires, they look like they are wrapping a package with four little bows. Glad to get rid of them too, at least the one(s) that are poking me, Maybe the Orthopod will remove em?! yeah sure.
Now I feel a little better, have been down lately, asked my Husband if he thought I was depressed. He looked so surprised, said he thought so too, but didn't know how to bring it up. That's too bad, but now that we have talked about it I do feel better. Even went so far as check with ins. co. and make appointment with psychiatrist. but surgery interferes with appointment, so will postpone visit, or talk to primary physician next week, may be get some medicine assistance in the mean time. Just getting the surgery scheduled makes me feel better, that, and the fact that they don't have to do major surgery to my sternum, as originally thought due to non or poor healing of sternum. Not the case, sternum and ribs just not symetrical (spelling) doc thought I looked crooked, well, that;s nothing new. So got two biggies outta my mind,.Better go talking too long,
Love, Corky

 

[corky]

Long Time No See

Long Time No See

Here it is June 9,
I had back surgery on April 13, For the first time in 20 years I have little or no pain. The pain that lingers is still from muscles being yanked apart. The pain down my left leg is gone, Yippee! and I am almost back to normal. I can sit for 60 minutes, then have to walk around or lie down.
Back surgery is by far more a pain in the neck than open chest surgery. I was down pretty much for 6 weeks.
Now it is over, and I am good.
Corky

 

[Gisele]

Glad to hear that you are doing fine from your back surgery. I am sure it is a relief to get that over with.

I find it very interesting that you also have a problem of not having a symetrical chest. After my first surgery I didn't have any problems, everything looked normal and even. After this past OHS in Nov. it appears that I was sewn back a bit crooked and it looks like the right side of my rib cage is pushed back.........the VNA even noticed my back on that side protruded. To look at me from the front, my right side is sewn back lower than my left side. Great, huh? I have had sternal pain since my surgery, and although I am not pushing the issue with cardio, I would love to get to the bottom of this.

 

[corky]

Surgery would be the most likely option! sigh

Surgery would be the most likely option! sigh

Gisele,
I spoke with my surgeon, he said to fix the chest would mean cracking the sternum Again. I said Nope, not for this! My chest was not changed, it looks the same, we compared pre and post op CT scans. Also I remember the mammography folks said I was not even. So, I have not pain from this, but doc thinks a wire is bothering the sternum. Treatment? I chose a wait and see attitude, Going to Maui in August, don't want to interfere with that trip, Have been looking forward for a year.

Sorry you have discomfort.........that's a bummer.
Corky

 

[Gisele]

I wouldn't choose to be cracked back open either...........way too painful! My doctor said it could take a year to heal, so I sit here and wait...............like anything else, some days are better than others so I figure it really is a matter of time.

Maui, huh? Sounds like fun.........something to look forward to!

 

[Bryan B]

I'm coming up on 3 months and still have sternum pain too. It's actually worse now than it was at 6 weeks out. I had a CT scan at 10 weeks out to check for a possible wire rub, and the results showed no wire rub but that the sternum was not healing well. I had to stop rehab, all aerobic exercising (incuding walking). I've been sitting on my butt for 2 weeks and still no improvement. My employer says I can't come back to work until my doctor releases me with no weight restrictions. My doctor says he won't release me without weight restrictions until my sternum is healed, and he wouldn't recommend surgery to correct the problem until at least 6 months out (which would involve debriding sternum and a bone graft). Don't know where I'm going with this, but I can relate to the sternum pain. If it doesn't heal soon I guess I will have to decide whether I want to deal with chronic pain or go back under the knife. I don't like either option, but the way I feel now I think I would opt for the surgery. Living like I am now (not being able to do the things I want to do) is no better than the way I was living before the heart surgery.