Quintuple Bypass Open Heart Surgery

[126coupe]

My Bro in law is having this surgery tomorrow, he is only 55.
Lifetime smoker, No more!!. He went to the doc today for a routine checkup. He told his doc I have not been feeling very good the last 2 weeks, chest pains, and sore arms.
to the hospital in an Ambulance ASAP. 1 was blocked 100%, 1 99% 1 77%.
I looked at the photo, the one that was blocked 100% was developing a new vessel.
Sounds like a complicated surgery. He is fairly young and strong.
The doctor told me, you may not get cancer from smoking, but you WILL get heart disease ! Smoker since he was 14 years old.

[JV911SYDNEY]

Best wishes to your bro and family

my dad (non-smoker, non-drinker) had a quintuple about 10 years ago (actually i think he was the 1st guy in Aus to have a quintuple)

he turned 70 in feb and is still going strong

only complication from the surgery was that his legs got infected where they took the veins

best regards,

jeremy

[onlycafe]

a full letterman. best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[p911dad]

Good luck to him! A friend of ours(over 65) recently had a triple, and she has recovered perfectly, and she reports having much more energy and endurance in walking, etc.

[livi]

Best wishes!

[IROC]

My Dad had a quintuple bypass almost exactly one year ago. He was 67 at the time. He had smoked his entire life (since birth, IIRC) but was perfectly healthy otherwise (low cholesterol, low BP, not overweight etc).

He made it through the surgery fine, but it was a butt-kicker. It took him months to get back to even routine tasks. There are still alot of things he's not allowed to do.

Good luck.

[Tobra]

big surgery. genetic and behavioral component to heart disease. Cigarettes are bad, mkay

Tell him good luck, take him a little pillow to hold to his chest when he coughs so he sternum does not hurt so badly

[126coupe]

Originally Posted by JV911SYDNEY

Best wishes to your bro and family

my dad (non-smoker, non-drinker) had a quintuple about 10 years ago (actually i think he was the 1st guy in Aus to have a quintuple)

he turned 70 in feb and is still going strong

only complication from the surgery was that his legs got infected where they took the veins

best regards,

jeremy

Just went into surgery, 6 hour surgery, 6 bypasses.
When they remove the vein from the leg they do othroscopically (sp)
Its amazing how the human body has these extra veins floating around for future maintenance.

[Tobra]

They are not extras, he will be wearing support stockings the rest of his life, don't forget to take him the little pillow, he will need it.

Tell him the physical therapist is not trying to kill him, it will just seem that way

Wayne, confronting your own mortality is frequently a life changing experience, ask anybody who almost died

[126coupe]

The surgeon told him most likely he will have the surgery in 15-20 years.
Ouch!

[Dan in Pasadena]

My dad had a massive heart attack at age 45. They wanted to give him the last rites, etc. Mom wouldn't let them because she felt it would only scare him, bring him no comfort. This was in about 1970; right before bypass surgery, transplants and block disolving drugs. He lived another 20 years with numerous additional cardiac events. He was a heavy smoker but a construction worker in ripped muscular condition...his heart was just shot. I must have my mother's genes. I am now 53, a bit overweight and too sedentary. Finally had the Heartcheck America scan when I turned 50 and I have ZERO plague in my arteries. But even in light of that? It provides no comfort. I just heard that Tim Russert had a stress EKG in late April this year and passed with flying colors!

[126coupe]

He is 4.5 hours into the surgery, when the nurse was explaining the surgery they actually stop your heart, and re-start it.

[Tobra]

They have these cute little paddles they use

[126coupe]

He just got out of surgery, he is alive thank God, 6 hour surgery. These surgeons are very good. I guess when you have done this so many times, you are good!!
I have read alot of replys about Stewart's recoup, I just pray he does not smoke.
Before the surgery he said to me "I wish I had a smoke" WTF
Thank God "Mission Hospital" in Mission Viejo, ca has a great program that deals w smokers after heart surgery. The doctors say that smoking can ruin the bypas?

[artplumber]

He's young and should do well if he quits smoking gets his cholesterol controlled, blood pressure and diabetes if he has them. Yes, continued smoking increases graft failure rates. No, it's not definite that he'll require (or be a candidate for) a redo. Risks for that are significantly higher.

As to stopping the heart, remember the bad movie with the eldest Baldwin about how he was god? His character was a heart surgeon who stopped and started hearts all the time.

As to the support hose requirement, by no means is this even likely. The vast majority of patients only have leg scars as mementos; infrequently some have chronic swelling.

[Z-man]

Minkoff:
My dad went through open heart / quad bypass surgery just two and a half months ago.

He is recovering, but at age 88, his recovery is taking a long long time...

I'll be praying for your bro-in-law...

-Z-man.

[Rikao4]

right NOW is the best time to quit,
he cannnot smoke while in the Hospital,
his current pain meds will really help with the 'craving'...

I know this...cause after my surgery..no smoke / no craving
went downstair's with some visitors..they lit up..so did I.
back to square one.
good luck

Rika