1. < Heart & Blood Health
Profile picture for eddiereen

Anyone Else Have 2 of 3 Bypass Grafts Fail Days After Surgery?

Posted by eddiereen @eddiereen, Feb 21, 2024

I had triple bypass surgery 10/1/23. Very shortly after I had the same symptoms as I had prior to surgery. I kept going in, once over night, they did a nuclear stress test, etc and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Had a visit with one of surgical team after surgery and asked if it could be an issue with the surgery - no it wouldn't be. BUT oh yes it was. 2 of the 3 bypasses have collapsed or failed. My husband has to now get stints and we're waiting for a call as to when. We had multiple visits and also on line with PA's. Nothing against them but until we finally got in and ok'd to see an actual cardiologist and he advised to go in and look via his leg - that was when the actual problem was found. If we hadn't pushed who knows. And he's still not out of the woods but glad we know why he's still short winded and has jaw pain. Days mind you after actual surgery. I'm assuming failure shortly after because why the same exact symptoms. Anyone else have this happen?? Not done at Mayo.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

Profile picture for traverhouse
traverhouse | @traverhouse | Jul 14 8:24am

Yes. I had a quadruple by-pass in late 2023. I had almost immediate symptoms of angina. But I was told to simply ignore the symptoms and that angina meant nothing. I was never given any medication to deal with angina. Finally, I collapsed about 11 months after the surgery and was rushed to the emergency room. They did tests, but not a stress test. A cardiologist came into my room along with a host of interns, since this was at a teaching hospital, and was told in the most patronizing way possible that there was nothing wrong with me and that the symptoms I was reporting could be gastritis or asthma. But they would perform an angioplasty anyway. The angioplasty revealed that three of the four grafts from the by-pass surgery (on the left side) had collapsed 100% and the fourth was blocked 85%. A stent was inserted. I was released and four days later I felt worse and went back to the hosptial. The surgeon who performed the previous angioplasty came into the room and started yelling at me that what I was reporting was "impossible." But they did another angioplasty and discovered that I had another artery (on the right side) that had never been looked at before and was blocked 95%. Another stent was inserted. After that, no cardiologist at that hospital ever spoke to me again. I had to find out what happened to me from a nurse. Needless to say, I switched hosptials. (The original hospital is supposedly rated the number 1 cardiology hospital in New York City.) After getting to another hospital under a different set of doctors, a further angioplasty uncovered more blockage. I now have six stents and a pacemaker. That, along with 17 pills a day, has kept me symptom free for a few years. The future? All I'm told now is that "you're doing everything possible".

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for Janell, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Jul 15 11:50am

@eddiereen, I hope you don’t mind me asking for a little clarification. As I reread your original post, I wasn’t sure whether you were describing your own bypass surgery or your husband’s. Would you mind clarifying? I think it would help others following the discussion.

I am tagging @sarabeaumarchais and @fergie01 who have also discussed failed grafts.

@traverhouse, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I’m sorry to hear everything you’ve been through. It sounds like the physical challenges were difficult enough, but feeling dismissed when you knew something wasn’t right must have made it even more frustrating.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with @eddiereen. I’m glad you eventually found a team that looked deeper and was able to identify the additional blockages. It also sounds encouraging that, although you’ve been through so much, the stents, pacemaker, and your current treatment have kept you symptom-free for the past few years.

If you don’t mind sharing, have your current cardiologists ever offered an explanation for why so many of your bypass grafts failed so early? Was there any discussion about whether it was related to the grafts themselves, progression of your coronary artery disease, or something else? I imagine others reading may be wondering the same thing.

REPLY
Profile picture for vaniag
vaniag | @vaniag | Jul 16 7:48am
In reply to @traverhouse "Yes. I had a quadruple by-pass in late 2023. I had almost immediate symptoms of angina...." + (show)
Profile picture for traverhouse @traverhouse

Yes. I had a quadruple by-pass in late 2023. I had almost immediate symptoms of angina. But I was told to simply ignore the symptoms and that angina meant nothing. I was never given any medication to deal with angina. Finally, I collapsed about 11 months after the surgery and was rushed to the emergency room. They did tests, but not a stress test. A cardiologist came into my room along with a host of interns, since this was at a teaching hospital, and was told in the most patronizing way possible that there was nothing wrong with me and that the symptoms I was reporting could be gastritis or asthma. But they would perform an angioplasty anyway. The angioplasty revealed that three of the four grafts from the by-pass surgery (on the left side) had collapsed 100% and the fourth was blocked 85%. A stent was inserted. I was released and four days later I felt worse and went back to the hosptial. The surgeon who performed the previous angioplasty came into the room and started yelling at me that what I was reporting was "impossible." But they did another angioplasty and discovered that I had another artery (on the right side) that had never been looked at before and was blocked 95%. Another stent was inserted. After that, no cardiologist at that hospital ever spoke to me again. I had to find out what happened to me from a nurse. Needless to say, I switched hosptials. (The original hospital is supposedly rated the number 1 cardiology hospital in New York City.) After getting to another hospital under a different set of doctors, a further angioplasty uncovered more blockage. I now have six stents and a pacemaker. That, along with 17 pills a day, has kept me symptom free for a few years. The future? All I'm told now is that "you're doing everything possible".

Jump to this post

@traverhouse OMG. What an experience. I am without words to express… Sending a digital hug! 🤗

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.