Nurse Julie Asks About Aortic Valve Surgery, Symptoms And Female Scars For Her Daughter

I have three comments:
1. The picture of the female patient shows that her incision was glued. Mine was stapled. The staple holes leave another set of scars, but they are supposed to fade nicely (mine still show, 3 months post-op). So you might want to ask, just to be prepared, how the incision will be sealed – glue or staples.
2. I saw a LOT of variation between patients in the appearance of the incision while I was in the hospital. Mine looked very pretty compared to some others! That tells me that some doctors are more careful than others. So you might want to express your concern and ask the doctor what can be done to minimize the scar when he/she closes you up.
3. Just as bad as the sternotomy incision scar, for me anyway, is the three scars below the sternotomy where tubes were inserted and removed a couple of days after surgery. Mine were not sutured, and the scars look worse than the main incision. So you might ask the doctors if you could have them closed up with stitches when the tubes are removed, so scarring will be minimized.
Good luck!!! I’m 15 weeks post-op (aortic valve replacement-bovine tissue- plus aortic root aneurysm repair), completed 12-week cardiac rehab program, am back to my old (strenuous) exercise program, and feeling GREAT! It’s like it never even happened – except for my lovely scars, which are becoming a source of pride rather than embarrassment, btw.

Regarding the woman who is concerned about the scar…

I would ask that a plastic surgeon be present to help close. My scar is already starting to blend in nicely. It is a lot straighter than the one on the first woman pictured in your latest e-mail. I believe one crew opens, the surgeon does his thing and then another team closes.

Thanks!

Hey…I agree with Sean R.
1. I was glued…much better results I think than stapled. And I agree with the lady in the photo…use the Maderna to reduce the scar tissue. It really works…not cheap, but not too expensive either, it works. I kept rubbing the stuff on throughout the day. Also stay out of the sun or use sunblock until it heals ( I got a med. size tube at Walgreens I think for $26 on sale…get the name brand)

2. The drain tube scars are each a penny in size. I have five of these, I think if you are tell the doctor up front to take care…you want small scars they will do a better job. If you connect the 5 dots it forms a smile on me…LOL! Tell the surgeon an ugly scar is a deal breaker…you want small pretty scars. Make sure he passes that information on to the resident or assistant closing you up.

3. Once you go through the surgery you will realize as Sean says the scar it’s more like a badge of courage…Congrats…you belong to a select group of people in the world that have been through something that not everyone gets to go through and lives to tell the story…it wasn’t your time to go.

I had my aortic valve replaced with a lovely 29mm porcine (pig) valve, the day after Labor Day…you’ll be just fine. Remember the children’s story …this little piggy went to the market…this little piggy stayed home…well this little piggy saved me and I squealed all the way home! LOL. I’ll say a prayer for your daughter and you.

Clay in San Francisco

P.S. I’ve been told my scar is sexy…by more than one person.

I had an aortic root and hemiarch replacement 14 weeks ago. I am doing great. My scar is only 5″ long and is healing nicely. The doctor is very important. I to live in Florida, I chose to go and find the surgeon that did the least invasive surgery. Especially after the doctor told me that I would have a 12 inch scar. I have to admit I am a little vain. 🙂 if you want to talk or email- charlenekw@aol.com

I too live in Fla. and decided to go to Cleveland Clinic for all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Six weeks post op and scar is only 3.5 inches. Already starting to fade.
Scar is the least of my worries – I AM ALIVE !

I had my aortic valve replaced 27 years ago. I’m now 39 yrs old and I had a total of 3 surgerys. You have to look hard to see my scar now days. However, it’s the drainage tube scars that you can still see. They pulled it to tight when closing them and one side looks like an extra belly button. It’s ok because I’m alive and well. Small price to pay….email-margaretreese@hotmail.com

i had my aortic valve replacement six months ago in U.K they normally use stitches that melt but i was told that being a bit on the big size bra wise they put stitches that had to be removed. M y advise would be that scars will fade its the early days that you really need to take care of i.e pain relief, a good bra and gradual return to exercise. good luck i will pray for both of you.
fazilat

Dear Julie: I am the mother of John Turan (RossProcedure, Shands-University of Florida, Gainesville, surgeon: Dr. Bleiweis, Mar 5, 2008) When you finish reading this, put his name on the search box so you can read the similarities—no symptoms, athletic all his life, second thougnhts, etc, etc, etc), and his wonderful outcome from surgery, now 9 months ago.

That said, as Adam says, if you are at Shands and your surgeon is Dr.Bleiweis as well, HE WILL DO THE CLOSING. He assured us that the medical students, those hand picked and selected by him and his perfussion team, would only be there TO OBSERVE. He is a very compassionate surgeon, with a wonderful bedside manner,someone you think after meeting that you would love to have for a neighbor. He doesn’t have 300 Ross Procedures under his belt as some othe surgeons do (i.e. Maryland Heart Center; Mayo Clinic, etc) but he has more now than 9 months ago! This is why you have to be diligent with the search for a doctor that fits you, and only you and your daughter will know if he is for you.

Now, it’s great if you can have a plastic surgeon there, but as an OR and ICU nurse myself, I kinda think that it is highly improbable and cost prohibitive to do that. Most of us are tight on our budgets, especially now with a recession, and also we want to conserve for some of the costs of surgery, hospitalization, meds, etc that inevitable will roll our way after surgery. My suggestions are: 1)get a second opinion, 2)talk candidly to Dr. Bleiweis, his PA and his nurse practitioner–they are both as caring and involved with his patients as he is. then mention you preocupation wih the scar (as an afterthought, it is the “least” of the concerns, but I agree it would be different with a girl. John’s scar was, at the skin level, sealed with glue, and I think this is Dr’s preference and depending on what has been done during the course of surgery.

Please write me at mercyturan@gmail.com. I live 35 miles from Shands, in Ocala, Florida, know all the nooks and crannies of Shands Hospital, and have already helped another family whose son, Brian, had surgery there.
I know where you can sneak a nap, where you can find a computer, where you can sneak a shower, and other quiet places in that very,very busy trauma care, regional hospital. I can also be here for you to cheer you both on and be part of your suppport team, to help you find a place to stay if you are far away from Shands and to pray for an excellent outcome to her surgery.

Number 3) of my suggestions is: arm yourself with all the hope and faith that you can muster, it matters not that you have never done this before, surround yourselves with loving and caring people and with people who join you in prayer for everything to go well according to God’s will. And last, but not least, keep in touch with Adams blog, before and after surgery it was invaluable for us, it moved us from the fear mode and the why me factor to the let’s go live the rest of our lives abundantly as God intended us to do! YES, YOU CAN!!!!

Blessings! Mercy, mother of John

Hello. Im a 45 year old male. I had an aortic graft done in 1981 when I was 17. The scar is about 16 inches long , starting right under my left breast bone and extending down past my belly button. The scar doesnt look bad , but it doesnt look good either. Then I had an aortic graft along with a left renal graft again in Sept 2007. They gave me a week or less to live then. I am without insurance , so I go to the community health center here in my city. Thank God for the physician assistant I had . She contacted Baylor hospital in Houston and the Doctors did my surgery for free. Anyway . Talking about the scar. It starts under my left shoulder blade and extends around connecting to my older scar. And this scar looks way better than the old one I have. They used surgical glue ( I dont think they had that back in 1981) a few staples and a few stiches. What im trying to say is , If the surgery saves your life , dont worry about it. It’s from something that saved your life . Its a battle scar. A kind of trophy. Sorry i rambled . All I’m trying to say is . You’re alive! It’s a scar. Big deal I just hope this makes everyone who reads this understand that it’s just a scar. Thats all.