Adam’s Heart Valve Surgery Blog

On the topic of cognitive decline after heart valve surgery, Dan and I just had the following email exchange:

Dear Adam,

I recently purchased your book and have been reading your newsletter. I find both very helpful and encouraging. I thank you for your efforts and concern for others who are going through experiences similar to yours.

I am 50 years old and, as a result of childhood Rheumatic Feaver, will be facing mitral valve surgery soon. Of course, I have many fears and concerns, most of which were discussed in your book. I do have one, follow-up concern that I would like to ask you about. I have heard and read about the phenomenon of cognitive decline following heart valve surgery. I would appreciate any information that you might have on this subject.

Thank you very much. Dan

Continue reading this post »

Here’s a great email update from Vicki regarding her successful mitral valve repair, Dr. William Ryan and surgical bras for women after surgery. I thought you might like to read it…

Hi Adam,

I just wanted you and all your readers to know that my surgery was hugely successful. Just two weeks ago, I had an open heart mitral valve repair (due to mitral valve prolapse). Of course, I’m not doing any manual labor or dancing the night away just yet. But, I definitely think it’s possible soon.

I couldn’t have been happier with my choice of surgeon, Dr. William Ryan, and my choice of hospital, Baylor Heart Hospital of Plano. Luckily, I haven’t taken any pain medication in two days. One slight problem, and I hate to complain, is that I’m not sleeping very well after heart surgery. Even though I’m taking 3mg of Lunesta (I took this prior to the surgery), I am just having a hard time getting to sleep.

Continue reading this post »

I just received an email from Ken - a fellow patient who had aortic valve replacement surgery earlier this year. Like many heart surgery patients, Ken experienced a complication after heart surgery. Specifically, Ken had an issue with Dressler’s Syndrome. If you are unfamiliar with Dressler’s Syndrome, I have provided some information below from the Mayo Clinic:

• Dressler’s syndrome is a complication that can occur following a heart attack or heart surgery. It occurs when the sac that surrounds your heart (pericardium) becomes inflamed. An immune system reaction is thought to be responsible for Dressler’s syndrome, which can develop several days or weeks after heart injury.

• Dressler’s syndrome causes fever and chest pain, which can feel like a heart attack. Also referred to as postpericardiotomy and postmyocardial infarction syndrome, Dressler’s syndrome is easily treated with medications that reduce inflammation.

• With recent improvements in the medical treatment of heart attack, Dressler’s syndrome is far less common than it used to be. However, once you’ve had the condition, it’s likely to recur, so it’s important to be on the lookout for any symptoms of Dressler’s syndrome if you’ve had a heart attack, heart surgery or other heart injury.

• Your doctor can diagnose Dressler’s syndrome from the classic signs and symptoms, listening to your heart and sometimes using blood tests. Other diagnostic tests may also include an echocardiogram or EKG.

• Complications of Dressler’s syndrome are cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis, pleurisy and pleural effusion.

• Mild cases of Dressler’s syndrome may get better on their own without treatment. Your doctor may recommend bed rest until you’re feeling better. More severe cases require medications to reduce the inflammation around your heart. Sometimes hospitalization is necessary.

I hope this helps you learn more about the post-operative complication known as Dressler’s Syndrome.

Keep on tickin!

Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery, a unique book which integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of an actual heart valve surgery patient. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.

Following his recent mitral valve repair, Larry just sent me a glowing report about his minimally invasive procedure in which Doctor Shemin (UCLA) used the Da Vinci robot. Here are the details from Larry…

Hi Adam,

I had mitral valve repair surgery along with replacing the two cords that hold the mitral valve in place with Gore-Tex cords. The operation was six hours long. Your readers should know that I had this procedure done by the da Vinci robot manufactured by Intuitive Surgical. The surgeons did not have to open up my chest, but only three little incisions on my side. From the moment I woke up from surgery, I have had zero pain and have taken no painkillers. If the patient is a candidate for robotic mitral valve repair surgery, the procedure is as good as the normal surgery of opening up your chest, and the recovery makes it 100% better.

Da Vinci Surgical System

When I started to do my investigation on the Internet I wanted to find one of the best hospitals in the country and one of the top surgeons in a country that did this procedure. I found both with UCLA medical Center and Dr. Richard Shemin. The treatment I received at UCLA medical Center was the best you could ever hope for, and Dr. Shemin is an outstanding surgeon and a very nice person which is an outstanding, combination.

FYI, I was driving two weeks after surgery and lawn bowling after four weeks. Please make sure your readers know of this procedure.

Best regards,

Larry

P.S. If you would like to leave a message for Larry or discuss robotic valve surgery, please click here.

As you can read below, Charlotte is dealing with a unique patient condition. In her email, Charlotte asks me whether or not I know of any patients with a similar diagnosis. Unfortunately, I don’t. That said, I thought it would be a good idea to post her email in my blog to see if anyone out there can help Charlotte. Here is what she wrote to me:

Adam,

I have a question because even my doctor’s can’t answer some of my questions.

I had lung cancer 13 years ago (hooray for overcoming lung cancer). I had the left lung completely removed, which is probably what save my life. I had surgery and radiation. I had one lymph node in the pulmonary artery area that had cancer so they gave me radiation directly on the heart.

Three years ago doctors found a leaking aortic valve. So I had aortic valve replacement surgery. Since I was only 51, my husband and I decided to go with the mechanical heart valve surgery because the mechanical valve is suppose to last longer than a bioprosthetic valve. I was in surgery 6 hours. At that time, there was a concern about getting me off of the ventilator because I only have one lung and they did have a little trouble getting me off of it.

Continue reading this post »

We’ve talked about “It” before…

It invades our brains before surgery. It clouds our thoughts during recovery. It manifests worry.

“It” is fear. Or, as I have suggested before F.E.A.R. - an acronym for Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real.

The funny thing about F.E.A.R., in relation to heart surgery, is that most people incorrectly assume that patient fear culminates and terminates on the operating table. As I, or most patients will share with you, that is completely inaccurate.

For most patients, fear reemerges during the recovery as the patient reanimates their life to match the memory of their own, pre-operative existence. I remember this all too well - as I relearned how to walk, sleep, drive, run, swim, golf and work after my own, heart valve replacement surgery.

I am reminded of this fact when I receive emails and phone calls from patients that are several months (or even years) into their recovery and are still battling F.E.A.R.

For example, Judy just wrote to me, “Adam - It is ten months since my surgery. I am writing you because we are planning a trip to Europe. I feel fine and I received permission from the surgeon and cardiologist. Yet, I have all these misgivings about going to Europe after surgery. I worry!!! Can you give me any comforting thoughts? Thanks a million! Judy.”

In reading Judy’s email, I could completely relate to the fear of long-distance flying after heart surgery. Then, I remembered a poem that was quoted to me two decades ago by one of my mentors. I was 17 years old when I first heard this poem, but it has stuck with me ever since.

“Come to the edge,” he said.
“We are afraid,” they said.
“Come to the edge,” he said.
They came to the edge.
He pushed.
They flew.

This is my virtual push to Judy and all the patients reading this. It is time to fly.

Keep on tickin!

P.S. To post a comment for Judy or offer a general thought, please click here.

Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery, a unique book which integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of an actual heart valve surgery patient. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.