Q:
ON FEB 3, 2011 I HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY FOR A SINUS VENOUS ASD REPAIR, I HAD A VERY DIFFICULT HOSPITAL STAY AND RECOVERY WHERE I’M STILL OUT ON DISABLITY.
I’M A 24 YEAR OLD FEMALE. THEY JUST FOUND THIS DECEMBER 23, 2011. I HAVE ALWAYS SUFFERED CHEST PAINS AND MANY TRIPS TO THE ER ALWAYS DISCHARGED SAYING IT WAS ANXIETY, DURING THE HOSPITAL STAY THEY LEFT THE CAFETER IN LONGER THEN WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE IN, AND IT TOOK ME LONGER THEN WHAT NORMALY IT TAKES PEOPLE TO WAKE UP FROM Anesthesia. FAMILY MEMEBERS AND FRIENDS KEPT TELLING THE NURSES AND DOCTORS THAT JUST SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT WITH ME, I JUST WAS NOT WITH IT, NOT MAKING SENCE, I WOULD TRY TO GET UP WITH ASSISANCE AFTER WAITING A GOOD 15-20 MINUTES TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AFTER THE CAFETER WAS TAKING OUT, MY HEARTRATE WOULD GET VERY HIGH TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS ON OXYGEN MY HOLE STAY AT 2% MY OXYGEN WOULD GET AS LOW AS 80 WHEN I MOVED AROUND, HEART RATE 127 FROM WHAT I REMEMBER THE FIRST 4 DAYS I HAVE NO MEMORY OF BECAUSE OF HOW OUT OF IT I WAS, AND IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF THE PAIN MEDICATION. FINIALY ON DAY 7TH OF FEB, 2011 THEY TOOK BLOOD WORK AFTER MANY PEOPLE TELLING THEM I WAS NOT RIGHT, THEY CAME BACK AND FOUND OUT I NEEDED A BLOOD TRANSFUSION I REMEMBER THE NIGHT NURSE SAYING IT WAS ORDERED AT 11AM, I NEVER GOT THE TRANSFUSION TO AFTER 11 AT NIGHT, I WAS NOT GETTING BETTER, AFTER THE TRANSFUSION I STARTED TO GET STRONGER, AND BETTER SLOWLY, BUT STILL ON OXYGEN AND HEART RATE PROBLEMS. I WAS UNABLE TO GET UP AND WALK AROUND BECAUSE OF MY PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING. I WAS DISCHARGED ON DAY 6, A MONTH AFTER I WAS RUSHED TO THE ER AND FOUND OUT I WAS ANEMIC AND HAD FLUID IN MY LUNGS, DIAGNOSED WITH A Pneumonia NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID, I WAS SENT HOME THAT NIGHT WITH AVALOX FOR 10 DAYS. THE NEXT DAY I WAS RUSHED AGAIN BY AMBULANCE TO THE SAME ER, THE SAME TEST WERE RAN, PNEUMONIA, AND FROM THE DAY BEFORE MY EKG OF MY HEART HAD GOTTEN WORSE IN 24 HOURS, WITH A VERY HIGH FEVER OF 102.3 I BELIEVE IT WAS. AGAIN I WAS SENT HOME. ANOTHER MONTH PASSED AND AFTER GOING TO THE CARDIOLOGIST AND THEN MY PRIMARY CARE, MY PRIMARY CARE SENT ME STRAIGHT TO THE ER, THERE WAS NOT SOUND COMMING FROM MY LEFT LOWER LUNG, THEY DID THE SAME TEST THE OTHER ER DID THE XRAY CAME BACK SAYING MY HEMIDIAPHRAM WAS PRESSING MY STOMICH, THEY THEN ORDERED A CT SCAN WHICH I ALREADY HAD 2 THE MONTH BEFORE, THE CT SCAN IN THIS ER REVLEAD THAT MY LEFT LOWER LUNG IS PARALYZED DUE TO NERVE DAMAGE, I WAS REFFERD TO A LUNG SPECIALIST, WHICH I WENT TO YESTERDAY MAY 9TH I WAS TOLD THAT DURING THE SURGERY THEY DAMAGED MY NERVE IN MY LUNG AND IT IS WITHOUT A DOUHT PARALYZED AND I MORE THEN LIKLY WILL NEVER GET FUNCTION BACK, THIS IS ALL DUE TO MY OPEN HEART SURGERY THE SURGEON MESSED UP BIG TIME, AND BECAUSE OF THIS I WILL NEVER HAVE A NORMAL LIFE, AND I’M POSSIBLY FACING NOW LUNG SURGERY TO FIX IT. I DONT FIND THIS RIGHT, OR FAIR I HAVE TO GO THRU THIS AGAIN. I’M WONDERING IF I HAVE ANY KIND OF CASE AT ALL. THE SURGEON MESSED UP, THE HOSPITAL MESSED UP WITH NOT CHECKING MY BLOOD SOONER AFTER BEING TOLD FOR DAYS I WAS NOT RIGHT, THE ER MESSED UP WITH NOT FINDING/MENTIONING THIS, BECAUSE IT IS IN THERE REPORT. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS MY SITUATION FURTHER, AND FIND OUT WHAT I CAN DO HERE. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME EITHER WAY TO LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME I APPRECIATE IT.
A:
I am sorry to hear about your problems, but complications can occur even under the best of care. That said, some of your problems were both avoidable and treatable. Repair of an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) such as yours is usually a simple procedure. It is unlikely that the (phrenic) nerve to your left diaphragm was damaged beyond repair during the operation; more likely you have a condition called Atelectasis of the lower portion of your left lung. When that happens, your lung partially collapses and the diaphragm goes up. The problem with your left lung and diaphragm occasionally happens but most of the time can be treated with breathing exercises and physical therapy. If you continue to be dissatisfied with your treatment, you might want to go elsewhere (maybe a major hospital) for a second opinion.
You can read more here:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/ca-blog/severe-chest-pain-after-heart-sur
Hope this helps,
Dr T
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/