CPAP after Open Heart Surgery

[tvmangum]

I had my aortic valve replaced at Duke University Medical Center on May 21, 2010. After I was extubated, the RTs made sure that I used by CPAP--they even put me on a BiPAP since my machine was still in the hotel. You can't remember everything at 4:30 in the morning!

Everything went well during the surgery and stay in the hospital. I used my CPAP every night and even had to connect the oxygen line from my nasal cannula to my machine. The only problem I did have was keeping my O2 sats up good enough so I could be released but that is probably related to my right lung being deflated to give the surgeon more room to work since he was using a minimally invasive incision. Since coming home my AI has been 0.2, HI 6.7 and AHI 6.90.

For those who have had open heart surgery did you find that your OSA numbers improved, remained the same or got worse? I would love to be able to not use my CPAP anymore but am fine if I do have to use it. I have had several people ask if my OSA has improved since surgery and I think it has improved but I am just an "untrained patient."

Thanks to Rooster for getting me thinking about this question.

[dtsm]

Can't answer your question but wanted to wish you best of luck after major heart surgery. Stay well.

[Janknitz]

Somebody with more knowledge (like an RT) can probably answer this question better, but I wonder if intubation might affect your AHI's? There might be some swelling and irritation in your airway that will improve over time.

I had open heart surgery as a child (8 years old) and I woke after the surgery still intubated. I remember how awful that felt to this day (many many years after!)

[tvmangum]

I think I woke up around 8:30 pm on the day of surgery--after being put down around 6:30 am. I was finally extubated around 11:30 pm. I then started having a drinking problem--I drank everything I could get my hands on until I finally fell back asleep sometime around 1:00 or 2:00 am when I was put on the BiPAP.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear tvmangum,

So sorry, I too cannot answer your question. But after reading your post I just wanted to wish you well in your recovery and wish you a full and complete healing.

With warm regards,

Jersey Girl

[sleepmba]

tvmangum,
While I have not experienced what you have, I have performed many a sleep study on people in your situation. From my experience, the OSA remains the same. If you lose weight, it MAY change. It would be worth having another sleep study at that point. Good luck with your recovery.

[Goofproof]

It was a Quad-ByPass, that showed up the need for XPAP. It took them 20 minutes to tube me in the OR, Spoiled their afternoon golf game. Jim

Was started on CPAP at 14CM with 2L O2, in three weeks

[roster]

For those who have had open heart surgery did you find that your OSA numbers improved, remained the same or got worse? I would love to be able to not use my CPAP anymore but am fine if I do have to use it. I have had several people ask if my OSA has improved since surgery and I think it has improved but I am just an "untrained patient."

Thanks to Rooster for getting me thinking about this question.

I am a strong believer that most cases of OSA are due to an underdeveloped jaw. The jaw is short (front to back) or narrow (side to side). This yields a narrow airway which is blocked during sleep when the muscles in the tongue and soft palate relax.

Some symptoms of a jaw that is narrow are a recessed chin, teeth that are crooked due to overcrowding, needing braces to straighten teeth, or the need to extract the wisdom teeth due to overcrowding.

Unfortunately heart surgery will not relieve that condition.

TV, Are you aware that untreated sleep apnea will, in the longterm, cause enlarging of the left ventricle of the heart? I know you have been told your heart had birth defects, but I wonder if untreated/undiagnosed sleep apnea also contributed to your heart condition. Many of us had sleep apnea for years before it was diagnosed and experienced some heart enlargement during that time.

As I wrote in your journal, I am impressed with how strong your spirit is and how you handled the surgery. I am happy you had such good heart doctors and hopefully some day the quality of sleep doctors will rise to that level.

All the best,

[6PtStar]

I had bypass surgery about a year and a half ago. Still got a leaky valve but they would not fix it because it is not bad enough YET! My numbers went up but not a huge amount. My SA is very positional and becasuse of the incision and the ribs moving my comfort level on my side took a while to come back to almost normal.

Jerry