Post Surgery Complications

[mama2gabe]

To Anyone Who Has Been There:
My husband had open heart surgery 5 years ago at the age of 33.  It was discovered that he had a heart murmur, which lead to other tests, revealing that he had an enlarged Aortic Root.  He was also found to have a Bicuspid Valve.  He had the surgery at the best possible place - Cleveland Clinic by renowned surgeon Dr. Svenson.  He received a mechanical valve and had a stent put in for the Aortic Root.  Surgery was a great success.  However, since the surgery, my husband has had several problems that His doctor seems to just brush off as an anxiety disorder.

Here are his sypmtoms:
1.  Dizzy spells - about once a week since the surgery
2.  Double vision - about once every couple of weeks since the surgery
3.  Numbness in fingers and cold feeling on fingertips - comes and goes
4.  Chronic aches and pains - back, shoulder, neck areas - ongoing since surgery
5.  Anxiety - getting better as the years go by
6.  Fatigue - ongoing since surgery
7.  Depression - I believe brought on by lack of feeling good phsically.
8.  Dental Problems - he has very soft teeth and has been having problems with his caps and root canals - currently

Does anyone out there know of any complications that could have occured after the surgery that could be causing these problems?  I realize that some of these sypmtoms are probably seperate from the surgery, but I can't help but believe that these symptoms are a direct result of the surgery.
I believe this because my husband went from a healthy and happy young man to a tired and sick seemingly old man.

Please Help

[mama2gabe]

Thanks for the reply.  My husband is on Coumadin, so I don't know - does that outrule stent thrombosis?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

All these symptoms can be due to blood clots formed in the arteries as a result of the stent and mechanical valve. Stent thrombosis is a condition where blood clots in the artery and prevents blood flow. Thrombosis is among the most dangerous side effects of this surgery. The risk also exists with non-medicated metal stents, but a disturbing trend has appeared in drug-coated stents where patients experience a linear and cumulative rate of thrombosis over time.

The dizziness and double vision that he is experiencing may be due to dislodgement of the thrombus as emboli in the vessels supplying the brain and eyes.

The anxiety and fatigue is psychological. Any surgery can have some psychological effects, but the older you get, the more profound they may be since it acts as a reminder to our own mortality.

You can take anti thrombotic therapy like warfarin or hepain along with aspirin.But theses drugs are to be taken after prescription from a doctor.

Pls consult your cardiothoracic surgeon for the exact diagnosis and treatment.

Take care and God bless.