Recovery after Quadruple Heart Bypass Surgery - Fluid around lungs

[Sherry Berry]

My father had quadruple heart by-pass surgery a month and 1/2 ago. He still hasn't fully recovered. He has been a diabetic since he turned 52.  He is now 67 years old. He has repeatedly had fluid around his lung that has been drained off by his heart doctor, but it keeps coming back. He has trouble breathing and every time this procedure is done, he has more and more liquid drained from his lung. The first time it was 1200 ccs. The second time 2800 ccs. He had it drained again today, and my mother told me that there was even more fluid. My father says that he has trouble breathing and feels like he is drowning in all this fluid. My father has had alot happen in a year's time. He had total right knee replacement surgery in April 06, eye surgery on his one and only eye in April 07 - the other eye is a glass eye due to an old coal mine accident 39 years ago - and a month or so ago this quadruple heart bypass surgery. My thinking is that he is too weak to get rid of this fluid on his own. The doctor said that the next time this happens, my dad will be admitted into the hospital for a couple of days for a procedure where the doctor will drain off the fluid again then put some sort of sealent around the lung so it won't fill up again? (I'm not sure if I'm wording this properly.) I guess, my question is why didn't the doctor do this before now? Is it a risky procedure? Why is the fluid amount getting larger and larger every time?  Thanks for your time, Sherry Berry!

[9295]

my father in law had open heart surgery in January and he has had 6 liters of fluid taken off it has been 2 liters every 2 weeks.  his heart dr told him he needs the same surgery they will go in his side and drain and scrap any scare tissue.  they will then take talcom powder and it is suppose to make the lung stick to the walls so the fluid won't continue to fill up in that error.  the dr told him he will be in the hosptial for 5 days or more.  so many unanswered questions.  best wishes for your dad and may God bless you.

[2romeo]

My sister is 60 years old and had triple bypass 6 weeks ago.  As soon as she got home from the hospital she developed a cough.  The coughing became worse, especially when she tried to talk.   At first her heart surgeron drained a liter of fluid from around her lungs and  we thought she was going to be ok.  Then, the cough returned.  She is now back in the hospital where they had to insert a chest tube.   This procedure was extremley painful.  She has been on the tube for six hours and already has had 3300 cc drained thus far.   The dr said she would have the tube in for at least 4 more days.   If anyone has to have the chest tube it should not stay in for longer than 7 days because an infection will set in.  I pray to God that this procedure helps her.   If the fluid comes back again i dont know what they will do.

[Britlee]

My dad had quad bypass done about a month ago. he had fluid also and had to be put back in the hospital for a procedure where they take the adhesive seal stuff and it was suppose to stop the fluid from building up. Well here it is two weeks after the second surgery and he still has fluid. I'm not sure what they are going to do next. how many surgeries can a person have to get this figured out. It's a roller coaster ride and I HATE it!

[revolverone]

My wife is only 36 years old and was diagnosed with a vitral valve regurgitation after our 3rd Child was born 9 months ago.  Her heart specialist said she needed surgery to correct the valve.  It really threw us all into a tailspin, but we decided it was better to go ahead and have it done rather than wait.  The operation was performed 5 months ago and was considered a success; however, after that she has been in the hospital twice and had fluid drained from her lungs at least 3 times.  Her lung specialist put her on Pretizone and it helped for awhile, but last month she developed a very very bad cough.  Bad enough to where she could barely speak without coughing.  The doctor put her on antibiotics for 10 days.  Yet, the cough will not stop and now she has alot of swelling in her ankles and legs; which leads us to believe the fluid is back; although her X-ray 2 weeks ago revealed that the fluid had almost dissipated.  I'm very very worried about her -- the lung specialist has mentioned the talc-lung infusion procedure; yet to me this seems like it's treating the symptom, but not the underlying cause.  Is it normal for fluid to be accumulating 5 months after surgery?  Everything I read says it should have gone away by now.  I'm starting to encourage her to see another Cardiologist and Lung Speciality for a second opinion.  Has anyone else had their loved one still having fluid problems so long after surgery?  We're about at our wits end on what to do.

[Pam11112]

My Dad is 66 years old, has had two heartattacks and one stroke (proven).  The first one was at the age of 40 and the second one was in 2006.  The doctors just found evidence of the stroke (alhtough we told them when we thought he had it a year ago) when he went to the hospital a month ago for his blood pressure being so high.  He had to have a  quadruple by-pass on May 22, 2008.  The surgery seemed to go good but later that night he went to sleep and they could not wake him for almost 4 days.  He stayed in the surgical ICU for 10 days and finally came home last friday June 5.  He is also a diabetic and has high blood pressure that is very hard to control.  Yesterday 6/10/08 he was taken back to the hospital because he was not breathing good.  They say there is fluid in his lungs and his heart is not beating properly.  He is really upset and depressed about his condition.  Since his 2006 heart attack, he has been working out at cardio rehab 3 times a week.  I never imagined that we would be having all of these problems.  Keep praying is all that I know to do.

[warren62]

y 62 yr old sister-in-law had 6 bypasses two months ago. While in recovery she had a light stroke. Next her lungs or chest cavity begin to fill with fluid. Its been two months and her husband is still draining her twice daily. Is this because her heart is weak from all the bypasses?