My 86 yr old grandma is having open heart surgery?!
Question: My 86 yr old grandma is having open heart surgery.?
My grandma has a heart valve which does not close properly. as a result, there has been a leakage of blood which is making her very short of breath. from what i understand her heart has been enlarged for a while now as well. we asked her whether she wanted to go through with the surgery or not and she opted for it, b/c she did not want to be gasping for air for the rest of her life (would bring down the quality of her life). her surgery is scheduled for next wednesday. aside from having a poorly functioning heart for a while now, she is in good health. just how much risk comes along with surgery like this with a woman her age.? I am so scared that she will not make it thru it, or that she may have a stroke or something afterwards. plz enlighten me on the situation w/ some medical advice. thanks!
p.s. they discovered she had phnemonea last weekHealth Question & Answer
p.s. they discovered she had phnemonea last weekHealth Question & Answer
Answers:
Your grandma has problem with one of her valves (there are four valves in the heart). Because of leaking (technically this leaking is called "regurgitation") blood is pooling in the lungs and its blood tubes - hence your grandma feels short of breath. For the same reason she suffered pneumonia and may recur again.
Now, because this problem is due to a structural fault in heart valve - it can be cured only by correcting the valve through surgery.
Normally this surgery is quite safe with low risk of complications. A stroke, memory loss etc are likely complications that go up in probability because of your grandma's age. But you say that she is otherwise in a good health. And she is opting for the surgery.
I wish her best of luck to live many more trouble free years after this surgery.Health Question & Answer
Now, because this problem is due to a structural fault in heart valve - it can be cured only by correcting the valve through surgery.
Normally this surgery is quite safe with low risk of complications. A stroke, memory loss etc are likely complications that go up in probability because of your grandma's age. But you say that she is otherwise in a good health. And she is opting for the surgery.
I wish her best of luck to live many more trouble free years after this surgery.Health Question & Answer
Six weeks ago, I had open-heart surgery to do a quadruple bypass AND to seal a congenital hole in my heart that, like your Grandmother, was letting blood leak between atriums so that blood without oxygen was just recirculating and not getting oxygen. I've never in my life had full heart capacity until now.
I was on the operating table nearly eight hours, and it was very risky, but I'm here to tell you I feel better now than in my entire life! I can't tell you that your Grandmother will definitely pull through, but if she does, she WILL have a much better quality of life.
PS: prayer helps!!Health Question & Answer
I was on the operating table nearly eight hours, and it was very risky, but I'm here to tell you I feel better now than in my entire life! I can't tell you that your Grandmother will definitely pull through, but if she does, she WILL have a much better quality of life.
PS: prayer helps!!Health Question & Answer