Hi! I’m brand new. Will catch up with picture etc. my main question is: with minimally invasive or robotic surgery, how much pain in the Ribs etc. and for ...Read more
Hi! I’m brand new. Will catch up with picture etc. my main question is: with minimally invasive or robotic surgery, how much pain in the Ribs etc. and for how long? Years? A traditional heart surgeon told me he fixes botched robotic surgeries and people complain of pain in the ribs, just from breathing.
Rita Savelis Every patient is different but it's true that ribs hurt more than the sternum. I had a traditional st ... Read more
Rita Savelis Every patient is different but it's true that ribs hurt more than the sternum. I had a traditional sternum cut and no pain (as I had been told) just lots of discomfort and exhausion. A mini invasive will heal faster but one might have more initial pain. Also on women breast tissue is sensitive and can also react to the surgery. I would think that it is quite rare for this pain to linger for long, though. There are many patients who are delighted with their fast recoveries from mini invasives.
Richard Munson I suspect that a doctor trashing robotic surgeries is because he does not do them. That being said, y ... Read more
Richard Munson I suspect that a doctor trashing robotic surgeries is because he does not do them. That being said, you will find that there is no guarantee regards pain or no pain. Some folks have pain as they enter thru the ribs and cut nerves. Others like susan in pa. Tout no pain. I had some pain for about a year in one particular minimally invasive place. It never caused me to cry. I had a tooth pulled a year ago and had more pain. Trying to second guess your outcome based on others i think is a rabbit hole. We are all different whether it be patient or doctor. Keep in mind that whether you choose the zipper, minimally invasive or robotic, its only how they get in there. Its all open heart surgery in the end. I expected some pain before i went in, after all, its open heart surgery.
J Alexander Lassally I veered away from robotic last year (so I am somewhat biased), but yes, the general consensus is tha ... Read more
J Alexander Lassally I veered away from robotic last year (so I am somewhat biased), but yes, the general consensus is that thoracotomy does elicit more pain than sternotomy due to rib manipulation/ access. It seems like most folks do remit under 6 months.. But I can't really say.
Probably the deeper topic is time on bypass - newer robotic surgeons will run a long time, which is not exactly music to your brain. (Experienced surgeons not so much issue)... Few folks want to talk about this issue and it DOES matter.
And yes, there are definite botches out there ---
Kristin Vano I am 2 weeks out from robotic surgery and am feeling better everyday. It is sore on the right side w ... Read more
Kristin Vano I am 2 weeks out from robotic surgery and am feeling better everyday. It is sore on the right side where they went in through the ribs but not painful and Tylenol helps. I had a very experienced robotic surgeon, which is a must! I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Richard Munson Great news kristin. Go robot. Next there will be no doctor just a machine. Robodoc. Makes house calls ... Read more
Richard Munson Great news kristin. Go robot. Next there will be no doctor just a machine. Robodoc. Makes house calls. Only requires oil and filter change.
Robert Miller My BIL was doing traditional surgery (not heart) but converted to robotic surgery in most cases. You ... Read more
Robert Miller My BIL was doing traditional surgery (not heart) but converted to robotic surgery in most cases. You have a much faster recovery. As for pain, I had two open heart surgeries and neither required any pain medicine. The biggest pain was my stiff back and neck from having to lay on my back for a few weeks after surgery. You won't have this with minimal invasive surgery. But that's a minor concern, in my opinion. As for botched minimal invasive surgery, I am sure there are botched open heart surgeries, too. It depends on the experience of the surgeon. Ask your surgeon how many robotic surgeries he has performed in total and for the very specific procedure you have to do. Ask him/her if he/she will do the procedure or if he/she is just supervising it.
I am from: North Collins, NY
Probably the deeper topic is time on bypass - newer robotic surgeons will run a long time, which is not exactly music to your brain. (Experienced surgeons not so much issue)... Few folks want to talk about this issue and it DOES matter.
And yes, there are definite botches out there ---
As for botched minimal invasive surgery, I am sure there are botched open heart surgeries, too. It depends on the experience of the surgeon. Ask your surgeon how many robotic surgeries he has performed in total and for the very specific procedure you have to do. Ask him/her if he/she will do the procedure or if he/she is just supervising it.