Wire removal

[Billyjean123]

Hi everyone

I wondered if there’s anyone out there who has had their sternum wires removed. I have had ongoing costochondritis since my LIMA bypass last July. They have suggested removal of the wires but I have heard that LIMA bypasses particularly in younger women (haha who am I kidding!) is a recognised problem and can take up to 18 months to settle.

Thanks very much

[Fortepiano]

I have had my sternal fixings removed 3 years after my valve replacement. It was a very minor operation, and they were removed through a few very small incisions along the scar line. It was done under general anaesthetic, but quite often just a local is used.

It wasn't for costochondritis though, but just because they were painful.

All the best - I had costochondritis early on, and it is miserable.

[Billyjean123 in reply to Fortepiano]

Thanks so much for your reply I really appreciate it.

What were the symptoms you were getting with the wires, has the removal helped and how long did it take to recover?

I think I have costochodritis which is across my chest in general (more common in women who have a LIMA bypass) but I also have more specific pain down my sternum which I suspect maybe caused by the wires.

Thanks again.

[Fortepiano in reply to Billyjean123]

I actually had plastic ties as I am allergic to nickel. They were rather large and I am thin and sleep on my front so pressure on them was painful. I am glad to be without them.

Removal is a very simple op whether wire or plastic that only takes a few minutes. The incision is basically superficial and the wires / ties are cut and pulled through. The incisions healed very quickly and I didn't need any recovery time bar about a day for the anaesthetic.

I was kept in overnight as a precaution as I had had problems before, but it was really unnecessary. It's generally a day procedure.

I had quite a strong inflammatory response to my valve replacement and did have quite a lot of costochondritis in my lower ribs earlier on and several bouts of pericarditis, but all the inflammation settled down after about 18 months.

[Billyjean123 in reply to Fortepiano]

Thanks that’s really helpful and very reassuring. It helps so much to hear that it all resolved at about 18 months I am taking and aspirin and Ticagrelor I’m not sure if blood thinners are a problem? Were you on any?

[Fortepiano in reply to Billyjean123]

Just on aspirin at the time. I was on clopidogrel later but didn't feel it caused any issues bar the usual bruising.

[Billyjean123 in reply to Fortepiano]

Thanks Fortepiano. I’ll let them know about the tricagrelor before surgery.

[Fortepiano in reply to Billyjean123]

Sorry I misunderstood you -

I thought you meant were blood thinners associated with my sternum pain! Re blood thinners for stents and surgery, I had a stent and was on clopidogrel for 12 months. I had finished it before I had my sternal fixtures removed, but I had a radiologist who wanted to stop the clopidogrel for several days as I was having an injection into my shoulder joint. My cardiologist told me in capital letters on no account to stop the clopidogrel!

Definitely wise to remind them you are on it though.

All the best

[Billyjean123 in reply to Fortepiano]

Thanks I certainly will. Hopefully will be no problem.

Best wishes

[seasider18]

As Fortepiano said it is evidently quite a simple procedure. When I was in having my aortic valve replaced there was a patient having it done. He came in the morning and was away by lunchtime. I did wonder if he had been given preference in getting it done as he was the admissions manager at a nearby hospital.

[Billyjean123 in reply to seasider18]

Thanks seasider. It provides me with reassurance about the procedure.

[seasider18 in reply to Billyjean123]

Mine irritate me quite often but they don't think that is much of a problem and won't remove them. I have little bony lumps that gradually got bigger all the way down my sternum.

After my procedure I several times had costochodritis but not sure if there was a connection.

[Billyjean123 in reply to seasider18]

The surgeon I saw who was a specialist in this said that removal of the wires may not 100% solve the problem but may help. The thought of more surgery doesn’t fill me with glee but I suspect I may have an allergy to nickel and am hoping their removal might help.Just concerned that I’d don’t want to make the situation worse as a physio also told me last week that the harvesting of LIMA during bypass surgery can cause nerve damage to the chest wall and could take up to 18months to resolve. Definitely don’t want more nerve damage from more surgery if that’s the case.

[seasider18 in reply to Billyjean123]

If you ever need a pacemaker they can be put in a little pouch before being inserted to avoid that.

[Billyjean123 in reply to seasider18]

That’s good to know. Thanks. The aspect of ongoing treatment does concern me somewhat

[Heather1957]

Interesting to read that some people had their sternum wires removed - I had my bypass surgery just over 2 years ago and luckily have had no issues with them or the scar. It is comforting to know that if they needed to be removed though it seems it is not a complicated procedure.

[kentishbunny1]

Hi

I had valve surgery 9 weeks ago and had the full sternum cut. Since week 4 , I started to get a pain next to my scar on one side and the cardiac nurse sent me to the Physio he told me I had costal cartilege inflammation, Didn’t realise until now that it was an actual thing that people got. Reading someone’s post about allergy to nickel, I know that I have an allergy to nickel but never thought to mention it to anyone at any time during this process. So would there be nickel in the wires ? could this be the problem, who knows ? Interesting

[Billyjean123]

Hi Kentishbunny I also didn’t think about it and in fact I didn’t realise that there was any nickel in the wires. My allergy shows if I wear a watch or earrings that aren’t pure metal through irritation to the skin. My experience is that the actual sternum is painful and the wires are really uncomfortable as well as generalised intercostal pain across my chest. Maybe worth mentioning it if it continues.

Thanks for your reply.

Best wishes and speedy recovery.