Sternum ‘Clicking’ After Open Heart Surgery

Good to know somebody has exactly the same clicking syptoms as me (aortic valve and root replacement), I could have written every word right down to the bit about getting my wife to validate my sensation in the morning. Feels like its coming from my collar bone. And yes, “DID my surgeon tighten me up enough?” I am at end of week two recovery so am re-assured to read your prognosis. William (44 years old) 

I had open heart surgery (repaired tricuspid valve) and the nurses warned me of the dreaded “clicking sternum.” I was so cautious while healing because I didn’t want to click. I had a second surgery that same year to further correct my valve and after 7 months, I realized my sternum clicks. I find it humorous until I lift weights and click rep after rep. Liz (23)

I know that it takes about 1 year for the breastbone to fully heal but when I had open heart surgery last november, my breastbone does not appear to be healing, It constantly shifts and sometimes separates and overlaps upon itself causing tremendous pain. It appears to be tied together from the x-ray but I’m not sure why it shifts like this. Thoughts?

I was so glad to read about the “clicking”. I am 12 weeks post surgery and still experience it. My main concern is when I laugh, I actually need to hold my chest. My doctor has informed me that my sternum is healing but not bone to bone, but with scar tissue. Some of my wires have come loose, but have not pulled through. I am being watched for the next month, with limitations to upper body movements…almost to the degree of restrictions right after surgery. My doctor is suggesting that perhaps Iwill need to see a plastic surgeon and have a metal plate put in. Any one know of this procedure? My clicking is in two spots and I can also feel the bone move, as did my doctors on last examination. Now that I have read that others are living with the clicking with no problem, I wonder what is really the need for additional surgery.

They put talons in me so no sternum bone overlapping would happen. Its a new procedure. Plastic surgeons can put them in because they do not go into the bone like wires. The clamp ont he side to bring the breast bone tight.

my aorta replacement by open heart surgery was done 10 months ago and from the 4th month on have click and it feels like movement in my chest but they tell me the ribs have healed back.the click is probly the metal clips that were put in hold ribs togather while they healed back tiogather.i still have some pain off and on with certain movements or hard coughs.other wise i feel fine and i went back to work full tme 3 months after surgery.still minor lifting but still climb a latter reagerly.i will be 75 years old in august 2010.was told my valve should give me another 20 years trouble free.hope hes right.have a great day.

59 year old male here. So, I’m 2 1/2 weeks out post op triple bypass. They left the valve alone for now. Good for 15 or 20 more years. At any rate, I’m also experiencing the clicking and “cracking knuckle” randomly ….while literally doing nothing unusual or breaking the rules of lifting things. It happens when getting in and out of bed (using their guidelines of the “bowling ball roll”) and it can happen just pointing down or lifting my arm to feed myself. I’m walking a 1/4 mile per day now twice. Nothing happens while walking. So, my doc just told me to limit things that cause the clicking because it “can impede sternal bone healing”. It’s a bit disconcerting but, I’m assured that this is somewhat normal.

It has been 12 weeks since quintuple bypass. I started clicking about six weeks out. it has gotten worse this last week. It doesn’t hurt from clicking but it does still hurt. Feels like wires cutting me with certain movements like deep coughing, rubbing motions with my hand, pushing or lifting over 10 pounds. I also have spells of nausea and weakness/faintness/lightheadedness, but my heartbeat is always regular. I’m scheduled for an xray next week to see if anything wrong can be detected by xray. I didn’t have a heart attack and had about 80% blockages and it was somewhat preventive as I had no definite symptoms I did have the nausea/weakness and was actually scheduled for hall bladder removal when the heart problems were determined. I still apparently need gall bladder surgery, but I’m concerned about what heart disease or heart surgery issues might exist. Any ideas anybody?