Hemisternotomy? Any experience or opinions?

[IanGordon]

With AVR now weeks away, I recall my surgeon saying this was an option for me although his view was there were no clinical advantages. My thinking is that if only part of the sternum is split then the bit left in tact should provide a stable platform so aid healing and possibly reduce pain. Anyone experienced this please?

[stevejb1810]

It seems odd to me that your surgeon should offer this as an option but then caveat it with 'no clinical advantage'. Begs the question 'why did he raise it in the first place'? Having said this, I'm not qualified to be able to say if the upper hemisternotomy you would have would make a huge difference to your recovery or not - they are still going to be cutting the bone and muscle it will still take time to heal. I had the full works for by CABG and it took about 4 weeks to get to something approaching normal i.e. being able to drive. Would the hemi make it any quicker? I think you probably need to talk to the surgeon again if you can.

Good luck for the op

Steve

[IanGordon in reply to stevejb1810]

Thanks Steve. I was really looking for a minimally invasive option that would cut recovery time and post op discomfort. The hemi does not do this although so called 'port hole' surgery does. So only a cosmetic gain. Small number of UK surgeons perform this and although I could have been referred , frankly I just wanted to get my life restored without any further delay. Think I'm just stressed about the post op down time and an albeit temporary long period of inactivity - 12 weeks without my bike or the ability to swing a tennis racket. But as I keep telling myself, small price.

[Nettyanne in reply to IanGordon]

Hi Ian, I had a mitral valve repair by port access in 2007 and the post op recovery is so different from the normal through the ribs method. I had none of the usual problems that people get as their ribs start to heal and was able to move around much easier and with less pain.

Unfortunately that repair has now failed and I am waiting for a date for valve replacement, this time I will have a sternotomy so I expect the recovery to be somewhat different. 😕

[IanGordon]

Hi Nettyanne. Thanks for your feedback. Port access was what I was hoping to find for my Aortic Valve but now I'm in the departure lounge for full and open access sternotomy I'm reluctant to get to the back of another queue! It's been referred to as the 'Gold Standard' - hate to think what Silver or Bronze pain/recovery would be like. Looks like we add OHS post-operative pain to the short list of life's unavoidables.

Good luck and a speedy recovery from your MVR. Hope you get a date soon.

[Nettyanne]

Hi Ian, Thanks for your good wishes it has been a long wait to get to this point and still no date for pre-op so not expecting surgery any time soon, it should have been done by March but can't see that happening.

As you said in your post not many surgeons do the port access and I was very fortunate to be treated by a wonderful surgeon who had trained in the USA. I love the idea of having got as far as the departure lounge, lets hope our planes aren't delayed !

Best wishes