Sternal Restrictions?

[BAV]

How extensive is the sternal restrictions after open heart surgery?

I will be getting a replacement over the next few months and I'm having trouble because I have another condition which I don't know if I can have fixed before the OHS.

It's embarrassing to talk about but I'm going to put it out there. I have a urethral stricture where I have to use a catheter to dilate down to the point of the narrowing a couple times a week to keep everything flowing properly.

My question is if I'll be able to continue this directly after open heart surgery due to the sternal restrictions? I don't have to reach far away from my body and injust guide it in and pull it out . From your experience after surgery do you think I'll have the mobility to do this?

 

[pellicle]

Good morning

having read your question and having a friend with a similar need I don't know what you mean by extensive.

How extensive is the sternal restrictions after open heart surgery?

I'm stuck on extensive meaning "how extensive is the damage" (in a car accident) meaning a few things. OR uses like extensive farming.

The restricsions do not 'extend' to there parts of your body but does effect also what is attached to that part of your body. So for instance you can do what you want with your foot, or hand as long as that doesn't then put leverage on your sternum.

You can't lift things because the arms are attached to the torso and thus supported by the torso to make the lift. As the sternum is the keystone to the ribs the transfer of tension there is unacceptable (if you want your sternum to ever heal properly). You so much do not want to ever know what "mobile sternum" and "sternal dehisence" means in practice.

So if you can treat yourself lying flat without scrunching forward you'll be right.

Its not a hard line, but at 8 weeks (normally) your sternum will be suitably knitted. Remember this is a thin bone (of multiple parts) and it is intended to be flexible by nature.

I will suggest that in the first week "you'll really feel it" for any flexing. Take my advice and listen to any pain. Be guided by that.

Its possible you'll need a clinician to assist / perform your procedure for the first week or two.

HTH

 

[BAV]

Good morning

having read your question and having a friend with a similar need I don't know what you mean by extensive.

I'm stuck on extensive meaning "how extensive is the damage" (in a car accident) meaning a few things. OR uses like extensive farming.

The restricsions do not 'extend' to there parts of your body but does effect also what is attached to that part of your body. So for instance you can do what you want with your foot, or hand as long as that doesn't then put leverage on your sternum.

You can't lift things because the arms are attached to the torso and thus supported by the torso to make the lift. As the sternum is the keystone to the ribs the transfer of tension there is unacceptable (if you want your sternum to ever heal properly). You so much do not want to ever know what "mobile sternum" and "sternal dehisence" means in practice.

So if you can treat yourself lying flat without scrunching forward you'll be right.

Its not a hard line, but at 8 weeks (normally) your sternum will be suitably knitted. Remember this is a thin bone (of multiple parts) and it is intended to be flexible by nature.

View attachment 889636


I will suggest that in the first week "you'll really feel it" for any flexing. Take my advice and listen to any pain. Be guided by that.

Its possible you'll need a clinician to assist / perform your procedure for the first week or two.

HTH

Thanks for the response Pellicle.

Extensive is a poor choice of words. I should have used a word like restrictive in its place.

I don't know about lying totally flat and performing it as I've never tried but do you think it would be a problem lying down and propped up, like on the bed sitting with my back against the wall ?

 

[pellicle]

I don't know about lying totally flat and performing it as I've never tried but do you think it would be a problem lying down and propped up, like on the bed sitting with my back against the wall ?

you'll get a feel for it. I recall scrunching forward a little in the first weeks. I wasn't meaning "totally flat" because you'll almost never be totally flat in the first weeks of recovery (for instance sitting to eat a meal in bed). Probably won't be doing this for a while:

But what I'm saying is "have a contingency" in case (because it varies from person to person).

HTH

 

[3mm]

Hi - I am new to the forum, but ... I had a very similar issue just 4 weeks ago when I had my open heart surgery. I need to catherize occasionally when my bladder gets too full. First, I told the surgery team (Dr Daly's team at Mayo Clinic) about this, and I also told the various nurses who worked with me after surgery.. They're professionals; their only concern was to help me do this safely. Since I was on a Foley catheter when I left surgery, we kept the Foley catheter in an extra day so I could avoid some of the need to drag IV lines, chest drain lines, etc into the bathroom every few hours. I was also on Lasix, so my body was draining a lot of fluids. After we took the Foley catheter out, I did need to self catherize several times while in the hospital. The first time I needed to do this, they had a catherization specialist who came up to my room to ensure that I knew how to catherize myself. He confirmed that I know what I'm doing, so after that the nurse's allowed me to catherize myself. Mayo provided catherization supplies, but I actually used my own catheters because they were more comfortable. I could stand on my own and balance well enough to catherize while standing and manuevering around all the IV lines, drain lines, etc that were attached to me. My sternum did not bother me during any of these procedures. I have never tried to catherize while sitting or lying down. If I were doing this over, I would leave the Foley catheter in for an extra day or 2, until the other tubes came out. That would have avoided some of the abrasion to my uretha. I hope this information helps, and I pray everything goes well for you!

 

[pellicle]

Hey Mark and welcome

Hi - I am new to the forum, but ..

absolutely cracker first post, top level direct experience there

Hats Off to you

 

[BAV]

Hi - I am new to the forum, but ... I had a very similar issue just 4 weeks ago when I had my open heart surgery. I need to catherize occasionally when my bladder gets too full. First, I told the surgery team (Dr Daly's team at Mayo Clinic) about this, and I also told the various nurses who worked with me after surgery.. They're professionals; their only concern was to help me do this safely. Since I was on a Foley catheter when I left surgery, we kept the Foley catheter in an extra day so I could avoid some of the need to drag IV lines, chest drain lines, etc into the bathroom every few hours. I was also on Lasix, so my body was draining a lot of fluids. After we took the Foley catheter out, I did need to self catherize several times while in the hospital. The first time I needed to do this, they had a catherization specialist who came up to my room to ensure that I knew how to catherize myself. He confirmed that I know what I'm doing, so after that the nurse's allowed me to catherize myself. Mayo provided catherization supplies, but I actually used my own catheters because they were more comfortable. I could stand on my own and balance well enough to catherize while standing and manuevering around all the IV lines, drain lines, etc that were attached to me. My sternum did not bother me during any of these procedures. I have never tried to catherize while sitting or lying down. If I were doing this over, I would leave the Foley catheter in for an extra day or 2, until the other tubes came out. That would have avoided some of the abrasion to my uretha. I hope this information helps, and I pray everything goes well for you!

Hi Mark,

Thanks for taking your time to join and share your experience. What you've described definitely helps with my worries. I also appreciate the prayers and I'm praying you recover quickly and back to 100%

 

[carolinemc]

How extensive is the sternal restrictions after open heart surgery?

I will be getting a replacement over the next few months and I'm having trouble because I have another condition which I don't know if I can have fixed before the OHS.

It's embarrassing to talk about but I'm going to put it out there. I have a urethral stricture where I have to use a catheter to dilate down to the point of the narrowing a couple times a week to keep everything flowing properly.

My question is if I'll be able to continue this directly after open heart surgery due to the sternal restrictions? I don't have to reach far away from my body and injust guide it in and pull it out . From your experience after surgery do you think I'll have the mobility to do this?

About the sternum, the muscles go through trauma of incision and muscles are cut. So they suffer trauma from being cut by a knife. It takes up to a year for the muscles to heal. That is why the restriction of no lifting no more than 5 pounds for at least three months, to allow enough healing to begin. And they do not want to you strain the muscles and the incision from the healing.
Nothing to be embarrassed about to talk about here. We all, men and women get the same instructions after bypass. The healing begins after surgery and it take time. Just never rush the healing process. You can still go walking, jogging, but no weight lifting for a few weeks. You will be fine.

 

[Yep-bicupid-also]

I have learned the hard way. No not move too much, too soon. I guess I moved my arms too much (with no weight) and I ended up getting fluid behind the incision (called a seroma). My incision was healing just fine, but after the seroma, it opened up to drain the fluid. Now I am dealing with an open incision 8 weeks after surgery at the wound care clinic. Don't rush the healing process!

I only stretched out my arms because I caught a cold 1.5 weeks after surgery and my ribs were so tight after sneezing & coughing that I felt the need to open up my rib cage to breath easier. Well, that arm movement came with consequences that I only learned after the fact.