Comments on: Dressler’s Syndrome – Ken’s Complication

By: Meg Min

Meg Min — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:14:58 +0000

Hi everyone, I had mitral valve repair surgery 4 weeks ago. My recovery has been a bit rough. I have had some ventrical taccacardia and also I was back in the hospital once for a visual disorientation spell that I had with no findings as to the cause. I’ve also had a low blood pressure( usually 85/65) and a high heart rate(around 106-96) for the last two weeks and now I was back in the e.r. two days ago with severe pain in my left side going up to my shoulder and neck. They said I have fluid around my heart and in both of my lungs. They gave me a perscription strength ibprofin and sent me home saying it should clear up on its own. After doing some research I see that this fluid can become life threatening. The pain is still severe so I may end up back in the e.r. tonight or tomorrow to get another opinion. I am only 34 and was told I would probably fly through recovery I am getting very discouraged and scared. I am a single mother of two boys and hate fearing that I am still not out of the woods from my surgery. Any suggestions as to how to deal with the fluid, the blood pressure, or the high heart rate would be greatly appreciated. I also use natural remedies whenever I can. Thanks so much!

By: Andreas Gregor

Andreas Gregor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:24:10 +0000

I had heart aortic root replacement and valve sparing June 1st. Felt increadibly well and 5 years younger by Augist 1st. Unfortunately I ended up in Hospital with Dresslers on August 19th. Fluid in the Pericardium, in the lungs, and around the lungs. Fever and the shivers. Now its the end of November and I’m still not feeling as good as I did August 1st, but much better than when I left the hospital the first time. I was just wondering if Dressler’s Syndrome can cause damage to the heart valves and other tissue.

By: Tony Korwin

Tony Korwin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:20:33 +0000

I recently had an aortic valve replacement and worked hard to follow all the directions using the spirometer and such, but kept feeling as though my chest was filling up on the inside. The medical team was not responsive to to my concerns with the doctors barking at me that all I had to do was walk more and use the spirometer more. However about 5 days after the surgery, I awoke to be in severe respiratory distress. They finally called in a pulmonologist and he diagnosed Dressler’s syndrome. The fluid buildup was not at the surgery site, nor in the pericardium, but in the pleural cavity around my left lung (pleural effusion). Compacting it to the point where it was totally collapsed and unable to take in air. They ended up draining almost a full liter of blood out of the cavity before the lung self inflated and I was able to cough and breath again. The medical team was then very chagrined to have to admit it missed a very uncommon, but not unheard of condition with heart patients.