I’ve joined this site to gain more information about the above. My partner had OHS 6 weeks ago, a replacement aortic valve and single bypass. For the first 2 weeks after the operation he was very positive, glad to be alive, but resisted doing the amount of walking the surgeon recommended. He spent most of the day lying on the bed, saying it was more comfortable than sitting. Friends and I started to notice he was very forgetful...short term memory loss. We all assumed it was the after effects of the anaesthetic, he’d been kept asleep and intubated for 3 days after the operation because his oxygen levels were low. Then he started acting really strangely, doing things that made it seem he wasn’t in his right mind. Swopped his twin cab truck for a totally unsuitable small coupe, started smoking again after stopping for a month, drinking heavily, picking arguments over nothing and the forgetfulness got worse. A friend had heard that sometimes OHS changed peoples personalities, hence the term Pumphead. I’d like to find out more about it and what I can do to help him come back to being the person I knew before the operation.
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Goldano
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I've heard the expression "pump head", but never in this country. I'm duel citizenship, Canadian and British, and I'm familiar with heart treatment in both countries. Perhaps because in the North American culture patients are quicker to reach for lawyers, I know the pre-operation consent form is much more detailed. One of the risks you're warned about is that time on a heart lung machine, the "pump", can result in temporary cognitive decline or personality changes. I'm afraid I don't know how long "temporary" is.
I'm not medically qualified to comment on your partner's condition, but I'd suggest this is raised with his GP or that you seek counselling support.
Heart surgery does seem to push people in very different directions. Some people take it as a precious second chance to live healthier lives. Other people seem devastated by being confronted with their own mortality, become angry and in denial, and continue or even increase self destructive behaviour. Personally I'm not sure this can be blamed on medication or medical procedures, perhaps it's just different responses to trauma?
I have no idea what "pumphead" is, but someone on here might have experience of it, however it might help if you give some more details? How old is he, what medication is he on, etc? Are you in the UK?
He is 67. Were British but live in Cyprus. He’s on all the usual post op meds, thinners, anticoagulants, beta blockers, BP meds and antidepressants that he was prescribed prior to the op. I don’t know what other details to give other than he isn’t sleeping well and having very violent nightmares. Thinks he’s in the trenches during WW1, reliving his previous life on this earth! He is normally a very laid back intelligent man, an ex policeman and secondary school teacher.
Could I ask why he was prescribed anti depressants before his op? Was this due to the fact he had been diagnosed with heart disease? I have no real knowledge of anti depressants but I do know they can alter peoples personalities quite dramatically . Could it be these?
I read a study from New York some years ago on post operative cognitive impairment. Fancy name for brain damage. In it almost all patients over 60 had it post op whatever their surgery. Most people recover but not all. It was much worse in heart surgery with bypass machines. This, unfortunately, does sound like an example.
I had mild pump head post OHS (and it was called that by my UK surgeon) but mine was migraine type incidents and strange visions. It is due to the effects of being on the heart lung machine. It subsided after a month or so but very occasionally I get a mild recurrence. Didn’t change my personality though. Speak to the consultant or GP
I am definitely more forgetful even after nearly two years after bypass. I once read an article about people who have face lifts later in life and how much it effects them mentally
After my OHS i noticed my memory and concentration had declined and i had an episode of global amnesia. A neurologist diagnosed Post Operational Cognitive Dysfunction or Pump head. As others have said its probably due to being on the bypass machine though its thought to have many multifactoral causes , surgical, anaesthetic and patient related. patients can experience a number of symptoms such as memory learning and loss of motor skills and also behavioural changes. Some drs believe it could be due to micro emboli during surgery, changes in arterial pressure or patient factors such as underlying atherosclerosis , left vent dysfunction age and genetics. You said your husbands oxygen levels were low ( hypoxia) this can also be a cause.There dosnt seem to be any information about long term outcomes and wether the condition improves and there is no consensus for diagnostic criteria so no way of giving a definative diagnosis or way of checking progression as its so individual.
I hope this makes things clearer for you though its not giving you answers regarding the outlook for the future. I wish you both the very best for his recovery xx
I had ohs for avr and 3cabg 7 years ago. I definitely had some form of mental impairment(pumphead?). There was an emotional instability and memory gaps. Things gradually returned to normal but one is never quite the same. There were others in the hospital who had undergone similar surgery who were worse. I have since had another major operation to repair an abdominal aortic aneurism which was of similar length. This time the mental effects are much less. When I raised the matter with my surgeons I was told “to expect weird things to happen for at least a year.” That was probably about right. There was no other help, the surgeons considered there work well done, which it was. My GP could offer little except sympathy though at times diazepam was helpful. Full physical recovery took about 4 years.
I can only offer that you should try to stop your partner making decisions until his wits are restored. Pumphead is a reality, which I think the surgeons are well aware of but do not know how to deal with. Your partners gp may be helpful perhaps something to calm his possible emotional turmoil?
These are just my unqualified opinions, I hope they are helpful but come from my experience so may not apply to anyone else.
Hi Goldano, I’m sorry to read about your partners behaviour/ attitude change since his surgery. My hubby was similar, got angry, had hallucinations etc. He was found to be iron anaemic, as well as deficient in vitamins (B12, folic acid and vitamin D). He did improve somewhat when these imbalances were addressed.I hope thing improve for you and your partner soon.
Hi, yes it is quite common. I was soooooo angry for months after my OHS. I wasn't out that long though. Also very forgetful etc etc. I would talk to your GP ASAP. It is so easy in that state to make silly decisions. Good luck.
Interesting, my sister in law, had a serious heart attack while in casualty, fortunately she managed to let them know next of kin, me and my children, Kate was put on life support ans sent from Epsom hospital to St George's in London, Kate was on life support for nearly three weeks, when life support was removed her memory was dreadful, after a head scan we were told the problem was micro embolisms. Kate came up to us to live and had a new heart valve which has cause more micro embolism, we are now waiting to see if her memory returns, Kate is very well and happy.
My husband had double valve replacement and bypass surgery a year ago - emergency surgery following acute heart failure. For a few weeks after surgery his personality was completely changed and not in a good way. I was told he might have suffered from some hypoxic brain damage and the extent to which this would recover was uncertain. Thankfully he did recover from this but behaviour changes do seem to be a recognised complication of open heart surgery and prolonged time on heart/lung bypass. Do please speak to someone about this - though I would suggest that surgeon or cardiologist would be more informed and helpful than your GP.
This has been a very revealing post, I hope you get the help you need, and well done for replying and staying with the comments, not all original posters manage to and it is appreciated.
Hi , sorry to hear about your husband’s post surgery effects. I my case I was very short tempered and also very emotional I self pitied and watching sad movies made me cry. But got ok after 6 months
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