Heart Surgery

I am having heart surgery tomorrow. It was discovered recently that I have a congential heart defect called a Atrial Septal Defect or ASD.

During fetal development, the upper chambers of the heart (atria) divide into right and left sides. In some, the closure is incomplete leaving a "hole in the heart". The hole in the heart is measured on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the greatest) and mine was considered a 5+.

Since pressure in the right side of the heart is lower than the left side, blood can flow from the lungs directly through the ASD back to the right heart; re-circulation through the lungs again and again. This abnormal recycling of blood through the lungs is called "shunting". The amount of blood flowing (or shunting) through the lungs may be many times more than the blood flow to the rest of the body. Shunting is an extra blood volume to the right side of the heart which can cause an overload of the heart. This overload can cause enlargement of the heart, abnormal heart rhythm, congestive heart failure, and injury to the arteries of the lungs. Since the filtering function of the lungs is bypassed, stroke or brain abscess may occur if clots or bacteria cross the ASD into the left side of the heart.

I have had severe migraine headaches my whole life. I usually get them once a day. The heart problem was discovered because of my headaches. Tomorrow (Monday, April 12) at 8:00 a.m. I am scheduled to have a surgery. I will be put to sleep and a catheder will enter my femoral vein and go up into my heart. There, the hole will be closed with an umbrella-like patch that comes out of the catheder. I'm scheduled to be in the hospital for two days.

Hopefully all of this will help my headaches. Wish me luck!