Off pump method: How can I find out if... - British Heart Fou...

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Off pump method

Pollypuss profile image
24 Replies

How can I find out if the surgeon used the off pump method during my bypass. From what I understand the heart isn’t stopped

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Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss
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24 Replies

Hello :-)

Yes you are right using that method the heart is not stopped

Is there any reason you want to find out ?

I just wondered as you have had your surgery and all is going well and to be honest I have never really thought myself what method did they do even though I don't think it was that one

I suppose I can only suggest you could ask your own Doctor if it is in your notes

If you still have contact numbers for the Rehab Nurses that supported your care in Hospital they can see your notes and might be able to tell you or you could contact the Surgeons Secretary and ask if they could find out

If this is really important to you to know then these are the only suggestions I can think of but if it something that you can live without knowing I would just enjoy life and think well whichever way they did it they did a good job :-)

Hope you are keeping well :-) x

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to

Well I understand your progress post op is better. No I don’t want to know the details and it took me a long time to even look at the scar. However my memory was pretty bad after the op and it can still be suspicious after two years and I had wondered if stopping the heart has anything to do with it. This method is very progressive and amazing for the future of open heart surgery

in reply to Pollypuss

Hello :-)

I don't think either procedure would cause memory loss

I can forget things to :-)

I agree it will no doubt be used more in the future and they are always coming up with something new , it is amazing what they can do when you think about it :-) x

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star in reply to Pollypuss

When they stop the heart they already have the pump plumbed in to supply your brain and other vital organs with oxygenated blood. Your temperature is also lowered to reduce oxygen demand although you are far from hibernating. Most of the confusion seen post surgery is caused by drugs such as morphine. If you are worried about your memory speak to your GP rather than use Doc Goggle!

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to MichaelJH

Thanks no I usually refer to the nhs website

Blackcatsooty profile image
Blackcatsooty

Ironic….my op was observed by some fairly senior staff who were bursting to tell me what the surgeon had done.I take the view that I don’t want to know anything that is not essential to me. I really do not want the images of what goes on when I am totally incapacitated.

I know my heart now works, that I am alive and thrilled with level of skill and care provided.

And grateful to have been given a chance for a few more years

Just my view.

Sooty

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to Blackcatsooty

Am very interested in any progress that makes the future of open heart surgery better for people in the future

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star

I know I was on pump. Before my surgery I had discussed on-pump vs off-pump, bypassing options, and the additional risks of my diabetes and PAD. We decided to go for on-pump as there is less risk of bleeding from the grafts post surgery. On the day it became a bit more complex and the routing was changed. When my GP got a letter outlining what was discussed he asked how I knew all that, and I said I had read all the relevant BHF literature and a number of medical texts he said no more. Some years previously he admitted that I knew more about PAD and its treatment than he did!

As you are doing fine it is now barely relevant and definitely not worth overthinking.

I had my bypass off pump.The top man came to explain it to me before the operation.He told me that's the way he does it to people with no other health issues.So if you weren't told you was having your op off pump,then I wouldn't have thought you did.x

Wooodsie profile image
Wooodsie

Hello Pollypuss, I cannot say whether your memory loss is to do with your op. But, I would consider that at our age we expect parts of our bodies to wear out or at least deteriorate a bit. Sadly, that includes the brain. It doesn't mean dementia or alzheimers, it just means that the brain is no different than any other organ or limb in your body. It won't be as perfect as it was 40 years ago 😣

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to Wooodsie

Good reply. Thank you😹

Dj1962 profile image
Dj1962

Mine was done off pump, I was told a few days after...I get brain fog..but that could be due to old age catching up with me...

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to Dj1962

Yes that’s possible as we get older . Just anthor symptom of old age we aren’t used to😸

jwd52 profile image
jwd52

HiI also had off pump.

I saw it on my Doctors online app in a letter that was on there from the hospital.

Hope you are recovering well

Jill

Blackcatsooty profile image
Blackcatsooty

Regarding memory loss or brain fog. I had a stroke December 2015 and the stroke fatigue never left me. Parts of my memory wiped , being the months before stroke. Repeat performance when I had AVR April 2000. The brain fog is very very similar, although I can just about tell a subtle difference. It sounds as though long covid is just the same. Huge medical resources being allocated to long covid, way way more than I got from stroke and AVR. Maybe a breakthrough can be achieved for long covid and the results shared with us stroke survivors and OHS patients. Probably too late for me, but maybe younger eople will benefit

Dear Pollypuss

mine also was ‘off pump’ and I was told by the surgeon that he had come to this decision after looking at all my notes and test results and felt that I had a stronger chance of survival using this method, survival being the key word for me.

You have to remember that this was just in my case as all combined test results must read incredibly individual to each person.

I just looked him in the eyes and knew that he was doing the best for me { I really believe that } as I slid along the conveyor belt of open heart surgery and the white light that awaited me.

Take care { you are doing great }

Prada47 profile image
Prada47

Hello Pollypuss

I hope this is not in response to my post on Potassium. I know in my own case my Heart was stopped because I asked the question " How did you stop my Heart "As Michael said earlier they cool you down and in fact pack icy slush around your Heart.

I was very curious as to what was going on and I was able to watch the videos of people having Open Heart Surgery.

I was told the needle work required is very delicate and he wouldn't have been able to do it on a Pumping Heart. I have had a couple of Angiograms since the bypass and I do watch the Stents being put in !!!

Sometimes I think I missed my vocation when I became an Engineer.

Regards

in reply to Prada47

Cardiac Surgeon Prada47 has a ring to it { big badge for that one }

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to Prada47

Well done😸

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to Prada47

I was fascinated with your reply thank you

Cee-Cee1 profile image
Cee-Cee1

When Gwyn, the surgeon who performed my triple bypass op, came to tell me I could go home only four days after my op I said to him "I can't believe it Gwyn - only four days ago you had my beating heart in your amazing hands and here I am ready to go home!". He replied "Nah, it wasn't beating, I switched it off and ran it through the machine" and I replied "Thanks for sharing that Gwyn" - it hadn't actually occurred to me before that! He was so funny, both pre- and post-op, he knew exactly how to make me laugh out loud and make me feel upbeat! 😀👍

sampaloc0624 profile image
sampaloc0624

I had the minimally invasive procedure where they did 3x bypass on a moving heart. Advancement of medicine works wonders. Was on threadmill on day 10 and back to work after 3 months. My doctors, i mean the whole medical team explained to me prior surgery their part on the procedure and how they will do it. And there were a dozen of them

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss in reply to sampaloc0624

😹😹😹

Pollypuss profile image
Pollypuss

Sounds great

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