Can someone possibly help me with this? My father just had heart valve surgery, on Thursday morning. According to the surgeon "everything went very well". However ...Read more
Can someone possibly help me with this? My father just had heart valve surgery, on Thursday morning. According to the surgeon "everything went very well". However I just found out yesterday, Sunday, that apparently he is still connected to an external pacemaker. And that his heart did not restart at all after the surgery. I am very concerned about this and it strikes that this is not a very good outcome at all. Apparently they are saying that they will install a pacemaker on Tuesday if the heart does not restart. From spending a couple of hours on Google researching this, I get the impression that usually the heart starts beating again very readily and that it not starting up is a very rare occurrence. Can anyone shed some light on this? How common is it for the heart to not start up again at all? What would cause such an event? What are the chances of it starting up given that a couple of days have passed? I would appreciate any insights on this. Thank you!
Jennifer McInerney I'm sorry this happened to your Dad. I don't know the answers to your questions but hopefully someone ... Read more
Jennifer McInerney I'm sorry this happened to your Dad. I don't know the answers to your questions but hopefully someone on this site will be able to provide their insights. I hope everything goes well. God Bless
Artie Hall I'm not sure about the why's, but I too had an external pacemaker for several days and they even kept ... Read more
Artie Hall I'm not sure about the why's, but I too had an external pacemaker for several days and they even kept it in a few days after they told me I was "on my own" without any assist from the pacemaker and that it was only on back up mode. It was explained that the heart just needed to get used to beating again and that it was a normal part of the procedure. I hope that your Dads heart will get the idea too and that he doesn't need a permanent one. Hang in there, the heart is an amazing thing.
Laura Jacobs I have no medical knowledge also..I am sorry. I also have heard that some hearts are slow to revive a ... Read more
Laura Jacobs I have no medical knowledge also..I am sorry. I also have heard that some hearts are slow to revive after being disrupted. I hope he does not have to have a permanent pacemaker, but my sister has lived with one for many years and she has an active and normal life. I hope the same for your Dad.
Robert Osmachenko Jean-Pierre, this is not common as I can attest to it. About 2% of patients experience this result b ... Read more
Robert Osmachenko Jean-Pierre, this is not common as I can attest to it. About 2% of patients experience this result because the nerve pathways have been interrupted from removal of the old valve. In my case there was heavy stenosis and thus a little more scraping to clear the area to seat the new valve. My surgeon ordered that my external pacer be left be in situ for 4 days in the event my lower ventricle decided to respond on its own. Not to be, and I felt a little cheated because I am pacer dependent. On the bright side, I am still here and doing well with little to no Afib. With a pacer I am going to live forever.
Be well.
Andrea Smith Sorry to hear that your father has an external pacemaker. I had a second AVR on 23rd March and was fi ... Read more
Andrea Smith Sorry to hear that your father has an external pacemaker. I had a second AVR on 23rd March and was fitted with an external pacemaker. After one week it was apparent that I would need a permanent one. It was fitted and without it I wouldn't be here. The good news is that, whilst it's not much fun having it inserted after open heart surgery, you get used to having it. I was struggling with hills and tiring easily initially but it has been tweaked and I have so much more energy! Whilst I was in hospital, there was a lady in the opposite bed who had an external pacemaker, and her heart started working without it. I admit to feeling a touch of jealousy! Hoping your father makes a speedy recovery. Please try not to worry - he will be getting the best care.
Be well.