Allergic Reaction To Sternum Wires After Heart Surgery?
Josie just wrote me an interesting email about sternum wires. She asks, “Adam - I’m eight-weeks post-op and, like you, suffering from on-going chest pain. Plus, my skin is sensitive. By chance, have you ever heard of a patient experiencing an allergic reaction to the sternal wires after heart surgery?”
My immediate answer to Josie’s question was a simple no. However, after doing some research there are a few instances in which patients have suffered from allergic reactions to the wires that hold the sternum in place after cardiac surgery.
Dr. Takazawa from Juntendo University in Japan states, “To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a manganese metal allergy to stainless steel wire. A 51-year-old man suffered from a refractory pruritic erythematous wheal after the insertion of a stainless steel wire. The patch test showed strong reactions to manganese, one of the constituents of stainless steel wire. After the removal of all stainless steel wires, the symptoms were much improved, except for mild pruritus on his face.”
Interesting right?
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.
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September 11th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Josie,
I am also 8 weeks post aortic valve surgery, and am experiencing similar pains. My skin is sensitive on my chest for about 3-4 inches on either side of the incision. First thing in the morning, putting my socks on hurts when I squeeze my chest together! Sometimes the incision is twingey, sometimes the sternum gives me a dull ache - and my surgeon says it is all normal! I had thought by now that I’d be further along than I am, but I is just a really big surgery and takes time! It’s more annoying than really painful. It helps to read about what others are going through. Your pains sound very familiar, and I’m guessing they are all normal. Do ask your surgeon, though, and good luck to you!
Becca
July 15th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I had bypass in 2004, about 1-2 yrs later developed what they said was granuloma anulare, no one knows cause. I have had metal allergies as far back as I can remember. A few sternal wires had lifted, had 6 out of 7 removed and within a week, amazingly, the granuloma was lessening. It was almost totally gone, then started developing again. Considering requesting last wire removed.