Adam’s Heart Valve Surgery Blog

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.

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.

I love a great teeth cleaning. You can ask Robyn (my wife)… She thinks I’m addicted to dental floss. That said, I was very interested to receive this question from Lynn.

Lynn writes, “I recently had open heart surgery to replace my mitral valve with a bovine valve. My cardiologist told me I could never use a water pik again. My dentist and I want to continue. What is the problem? Am I getting good advise from my cardiologist?”

Hmmmmm…. I have never received a question about water piks before. That said, I did not have a quick answer for Lynn so I did some quick Internet research. Unfortunately, I did not find anything of tremendous value besides a comment by Dr. Teig about water piks and mitral valve prolapse.

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Denise just asked me, “Do you know what are the most common complications after aortic valve replacement surgery? My dad is getting ready for surgery and I want to know what are the potential complications I should expect.”

According to a recent study, approximately 41% of heart valve surgery patients report that recovering from cardiac surgery is more difficult than expected. One of the reasons for this high number is post-operative complications.

Whether it is a heart palpitations, broken sternum pain, fluid in lungs, incision infection, a-fib or chest-clicking, many patients are often confronted by real or perceived complications. Personally, I experienced many of these common complications after my aortic valve replacement.

As you can see on the chart below, 66% of patients responded that they encountered some form of heart valve surgery complication.

As for a specific complication that is “most common” after aortic valve replacement, I do not have that information. But, I hope that above-referenced information helps you prepare for your father’s aortic valve surgery.

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.

Don’t let the title of this blog fool you. There is no weird, sexy, fetish thing going on here.

Instead… With this post, I am asking for HELP from the female, heart surgery patients that regularly read this blog.

Specifically, Vicki is preparing for open heart surgery in three days. She just emailed me an urgent question about the use of bras after cardiac surgery. I have some thoughts on the topic (even though I don’t have breasts). But, I imagine a few of our female patients - that means you Becca, Joanne, Heather - might have some interesting advice for Vicki. That said, can you help her?

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