sternum wires

[Innercalm]

my son asked me to find out what happens to the wires put into the sternum
during the surgery? I don't know where people come up with such an
?esoteric question. I would never have thought about any wires. I assume that any stitches get absorbed. this is a question for all of you mensa
people or cardiothoracic surgeons.

 

[geebee]

There are actually 3 layers of "reconstruction" done after surgery. The first is the sternum which is wired back together. The wires stay in permanently. The second layer is the inner tissue/muslce which is sewn back together using either dissolvable sutures or permanent sutures that stay in place. The third is the skin closure which is done with either staples, sutures, or surgical tape (which are removed or fall off depending on what is used).

 

[Phyllis]

We could actually see the wires on a chest xray that Dick had for his post-op surgeon visit. He had soluble stitches for the second layer and one worked its way to the surface about 9 weeks post-op- thought he was unraveling! His skin closure was done with surgical tape that was still peeling off when he went for his 6 week check-up.

 

[tantekay]

x-ray of sternum wires + extra

x-ray of sternum wires + extra

When we went for our son's second pre-op visit before his surgery we got a copy of his x-rays. (He was 5 months at the second surgery.) Not only could we see his three sternum wires which looked like little laso bagties around his sternum, but we could also see his little teeth just below the gums just waiting to poke through -- Makes for interesting baby book items

 

[JohnnyV_46]

I can feel the wires in my sternum...That doesn't bother me near as much as there is a piece of cartilage missing on the lower part of my Sternum and the piece that is still there, is very flexible when I push on it....almost 2 inches long...not attached to left side ribs and nothing on the right side of it..Did they just take a piece out and chuck it?

 

[aussigal]

gotta love those non-dissolving disolveable stitches!...

I had a couple of them come out round the corner on my hips when I had a girly-endoscopic-procedure a few years ago...
The Doc thought I was crazy! til I showed her ...
So at my request they dug the rest of it out properly, and sure enough it wasnt dissolved...still looked totally like a piece of string

And here I was thinking I was unique!

I wonder.... does anyone know if there are any alternatives?

and does the wire poke into you at all ?...

guess I am curious like your son !

 

[hensylee]

We used to discuss 'how many wires do you have?' but not for a couple of yrs now. I don't know how many I have and the time to find out is when you go for your first visit to surgeon after surgery. That's the time to ask - they had me xrayed just before I saw him and I know it was on the xray but I didn't know there were any wires in there so didn't know to ask. (besides, this might be your last visit with the surgeon).

Now and again one of us has a wire break. Some members wanted theirs out. Some are very thin and the wires hurt them. Therefore, some of our members have had them all removed, or the one that broke. It's not a dreadful or difficult procedure. The only one I recall that was hospitalized for this removal was ILoveNY. She has other health issues as well.

My cartilage is movable, too. If I push it's uncomfortable (slight) - so I don't push. There's still a bit of numbness where the nerves were severed, guess that'll always be there, but you don't notice til you get an itch, then scratch and your scratch isn't felt over the whole itchy spot. You just kinda say 'oh' and go on about your business.

Long as everything else goes ok, not to worry about this.

 

[Paul_N]

Yep there are wires. Got six myself and they look like bow ties on an xray. Remember reading about a year ago, that some people choose to have them taken out. Guess if they ever bug me or something like that, I'd look into it. If not ... I just keep em'.

 

[PamO]

It definitely was something I thought about before Mike's surgery, but not too much - it would make me nauseous. Wires? Uhhh...gag!

Talking about stitches, it's amazing how many people have the non-dissolving in their bodies. After Mike's 4th ACL reconstruction, the stitches in his knee were a little complicated so they made me watch a video on how to take them out. Snip the little knots pull and snip another one and so on and so on. I was right on top of it. The second day he was home I made the HUGE mistake of leaving to go to the market for a half hour. I came home to him with pliers, wire snips, tweezers and scissors trying to get the stitches out of his knee! Needless to say, he didn't snip the second knot and the stiches wouldn't come out. The orthopod left them in and told us they would eventually make their way out of the skin. Well, here we are almost 8 years later and they're almost out. Looks like a thick hair under his skin.

Note to file - CUT THE KNOTS BEFORE YOU PULL OUT THE STITCHES!

Everyone have a great weekend! Lord knows I'm counting the minutes until it's 5:00 p.m.

 

[JimBob]

Yep! Got them little wire bow ties, too. Figure I'm gonna leave 'em alone as long as they leave me alone.

Interesting about the type of closures - don't know what the underneath layer is, but I didn't have a single suture and no tape. I was told that they GLUED me back together! Seriously, GLUE! Sure was scared to sneeze for a while! My wife says that I'm like an old Ford - held together with glue and bailing wire!!

 

[sue943]

I just looked at my x-rays and I also have six wires. One of the x-rays must have been done in the ICU as it is a 'portable' and dated the day after my surgery, I certainly don't remember it being taken - the other post-op film was taken a week later. There are lots of wires and tubes showing on the first film, plus what must be canulas or something. I can only see one valve though, it is almost in the middle of my chest near to my spine, presumably that one is the aorta, I can't see the second valve at all.

 

[Kathleen]

Wires begone

Wires begone

My wires were in the figure 8 as they termed it. I had lost a bit of weight and the wires were protruding so far that the surgeon decided to take them out. He said they are coming out the easy way or the hard way--they had to do an entire new cut to take them out since they were the figure 8 style. I did get to go home the same day which is odd since the coumadin ususally keeps me in 5 days no matter what I do. Mine were really very painful so I have been thankful they are out---and never to be put in again.
Kathy

 

[Turkey Hunter]

The idea of the wires 'having to stay permanently" is incorrect. There have been members here who have had all of the wires removed. (I had one of mine removed due to it breaking.......OWCH) So, if you choose to have your wires removed, it is very normal. Just not extreamly common.

It actually is amazing to see my X-Ray, the wires look as if a farmer had repaired his fence. Just wrapped around the sternum and twisted tight and turned under to prevent poking.
I rather expected the wires to be a very small and perfect in design and use.

There are actually 3 layers of "reconstruction" done after surgery. The first is the sternum which is wired back together. The wires stay in permanently. The second layer is the inner tissue/muslce which is sewn back together using either dissolvable sutures or permanent sutures that stay in place. The third is the skin closure which is done with either staples, sutures, or surgical tape (which are removed or fall off depending on what is used).

 

[KAJ]

Yep! Got them little wire bow ties, too. Figure I'm gonna leave 'em alone as long as they leave me alone.

Interesting about the type of closures - don't know what the underneath layer is, but I didn't have a single suture and no tape. I was told that they GLUED me back together! Seriously, GLUE! Sure was scared to sneeze for a while! My wife says that I'm like an old Ford - held together with glue and bailing wire!!

I was also closed with glue. There was a big clear patch on my chest but I think it was there to primarily keep the drainage tube in place. I asked about the incision. I was told they "glued it back together."

Karl

 

[JeanneImp]

I can see Matt's wires clearly on each x-ray, but my friend took her 5 yr old for chest x-rays during the week, and they cannot see the wires! hmmmmmmmmmmm??? He was a baby when he had his OH.

 

[cocoalab]

I can see Matt's wires clearly on each x-ray, but my friend took her 5 yr old for chest x-rays during the week, and they cannot see the wires! hmmmmmmmmmmm??? He was a baby when he had his OH.

It is quite possible he doesn't have any. Andrew didn't have any for his first surgery- I asked- I do not know if they used any to close him up this time. Maybe I will ask about it in April when we go back for his next visit.

Does any one know if these wires would make it so one could not have an MRI? He was unable to have one before because of his pacer wires that had been installed for later use. Just curious.

 

[sue943]

Apparently we are safe - http://www.csmc.edu/6312.html

 

[Jkm7]

I specifically asked my Cardio at my last visit if I could have an MRI if needed in the future. He said Yes. The wires would not prevent it from being done.

 

[gadgetman]

Picture of X-Ray Showing Wires

Picture of X-Ray Showing Wires

I have my X-Rays on CD but was unable to download. However, I was able to upload this X-Ray off the web showing the sternum wires along with a pacemaker. My X-Ray looks very similar to this one. I've added an arrow pointing to one of the wires. A lateral view of mine show the wires are twisted and folded down against the chest bone.

Just like Karl, I was "glued" back together too. They did the same thing when they put in the AICD. Guess I had better stay away from glue removers!!!!!!

May God Bless,

Danny