Dad's stent Surgery-help please

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Apr 18, 2004

Hi everyone,
My dad had a heartattack 2 years ago and he had stent surgery, where they go up in through his leg and up to his heart to place stents. Whenever he walks alot, he says that it hurts right where the artery is where they went it. He is scared and wondering why this is happening. Is it because of the damaged scar tissue, or is there something more to this? Also, what can he do to minimize the pain, should he call his Dr? Let me know what yall think-I don't want to give him the wrong advice and yall know more about this than I do I'm sure! Thanks and have a great weekend (what's left of it!)

There could be several reasons he is having pain. Is this pain new for him or has he had the pain ever since he had the stent placed? For many people, depending on where the stent was placed, some chest pain is normal. However, if this pain is new, it is advisable for him to see his cardologist and report the chest pain. They may want to do an EKG or even a stress test with make sure all is okay.

I have 3 stents and in one of my stents they jailed two of my diagnoals coming off the my LAD. Because the diagonal was jailed, it did not receive as much blood flow as it should and this caused me a great deal of pain over the course of the first year I had my stent. However, I kept my exercise program going and developed some good collateral circulation and the pain eventually went away. I know that when I am really tired or have had an pretty stressful day at work, there are times when I get some minor chest pain. After resting, I generally feel better. But I can empathize with your dad in that when you get the pain, it makes you a little nervous that something bigger might be happening.

Anytime someone tells me they have a stent and then they say they have a new onset of chest pain, I always recommend that they schedule a visit with their physicians. The biggest period of risk for restenosis of a stent is generally during the first 6 months after placement. Once that period has ended and if the patient is on statin therapy as well as diet modification, stents can and do last for a number of years. But like I said earlier, if the pain you have described is new, or if he is worried, he should see his cardiologist.

Good luck and let us know what the doctor says. :)

Heartattaq · Apr 18, 2004

First things first. So you are saying the pain is in his leg where they introduce the catheter right,

and not in his chest area where the stent was placed?

If it is in his leg is the pain right at the site of insertion or farther down?

Does it occur at rest at anytime as well. Are there any other triggers other than walking.

Does he notice it only at certain times of the day? Or if he has been on his feet long?

Did it just occur or has it been occuring since he had the surgery?

tsu_girl82 · Apr 18, 2004

Thank you for all of your replies! The pain he is having though, is in his leg where the catheter was inserted. The pain is exactly where it was instered in his leg. It only happens when he has been walking, it's ok when he's at rest or any other time. He says it's been hurting since the surgery, not just recently. He noticed it at work. He is an electrician that does electrical work at a hospital , which requires alot of walking (He should have just the nurses there, huh!) and we went on vacation recently and walked about 3 miles a day and that's when it really hurt. Do you think it's just damaged scar tissue, or a bigger issue? Thank yall for all the info!

P_RN, ADN, RN · Apr 19, 2004

I think he should ask his doctor. Pain is after all one of the vital signs.

Agnus · Apr 19, 2004

Have him check it out with his doc. I would not be overly concerned but it is worth bringing to the doctor's attention.