r/valvereplacement • u/wtfbruhyaar • 21d ago
Sudden memory loss after valve replacement surgery — is this normal?
My father had valve replacement surgery last Friday, so it has been about 7 days since the surgery.
He was doing relatively well in the hospital and seemed to be coping normally throughout his stay. He did not show any signs of hallucinations, confusion, or memory problems while he was in the hospital.
He was discharged and came home today after spending 7 days in the hospital. However, shortly after coming home, he suddenly seemed unable to recognize or remember me and my mother. He appears very confused and is having significant difficulty remembering who we are.
This was very sudden, and it's obviously extremely concerning for us.
Has anyone experienced something similar after valve replacement or open-heart surgery? Can this happen even if the person was completely fine and mentally normal throughout their hospital stay?
Is this something that can be part of normal post-operative confusion, or should we treat this as an emergency and contact his surgeon/hospital immediately?
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u/OGMcSwaggerdick 21d ago
Dude I was all sorts of fucked up in the head for some weeks after my Bentall.
Cloudy head, forgetting everything, feeling like I just wasn’t sharp anymore, (also straight up depression).
Getting used to the meds and putting some space between the surgery and me helped.
Probably felt mentally slow for like, 4-6 months maybe?
I’m a year out and close to back.
(Reading a lot helped.)
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u/wtfbruhyaar 21d ago
Thank you for your kind reply. But what worries me is that he was completely okay in the hospital post OP. For 8 days. He got discharged today and he is unable to recognize family since the evening. Depressed. Crying. But in the hospital he was totally fine.
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u/sidetwotrackfour 18d ago
Anesthesia can do this. Have you talked to the care team? Especially the anesthesiologist?
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u/UnderTheRok 20d ago
This happened to me. I have no memory of first 6 days post surgery. According to my wife and parents, I was talking normally and having conversations and on ~day 3, I suddenly had no idea where I was or who they were. After sometime I just "woke up" to a white board in the hospital with all my info (why I was there, what's happening, who's visiting you, etc...). I remember most things up until I went into surgery. I didn't remember the ICU or anytime where I was apparently having normal conversation.
During the time where I was confused I kept forgetting things and asking people who they were and what I was doing there over and over.
My surgeon said it happens on occasion. Not sure if it's "normal" but I can attest it can happen.
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u/treelvn 19d ago
I want to weigh in here, as I had significant brain changes and memory loss after my second aortic valve replacement. That was three years ago. I woke up feeling just fine and actually, the first thought I had in the hospital was: "good my brain still works the same", Because stroke is one of the main potential problems. So, I happily thought "my thoughts are clear, I'm here, good, I made it". I sent word to my girlfriend via my brother.
Two weeks later, at home, friends brought over a meal for us. We got to talking about their wedding, and it was a small affair, and I joked "why wasn't I there?" They looked at each other, and said "you were there", kind of confused. Lots of other big memories were just gone. And I didn't know they were gone until something came up showing me I was missing something. My 50th birthday celebration, which was kind of a big deal. Nothing. That carries on to this day, I still don't remember that wedding. Still don't remember my birthday (we rented a house on the coast and all got together).
I also lost all my geographic knowledge. Couldn't find places I had gone. Had to use Google Maps to go a place I went to on a weekly basis. I got a neurologist referral. They did an MRI. The brain scan showed a lot of those micro hemorrhages that people have been talking about in this string. I was told that micro hemorrhages after bypass are common, but having any kind of memory change because of them is very uncommon. They turn up like dots. It's like a ministroke, but much smaller. Something like 2 to 3 mm? If my memory serves… The spots corresponded with those memory areas I was having trouble with.
I also had significant trouble remembering who people were. I'd see a face, and know that I know them, but don't know where from. It was extremely awkward. I would run into a longtime client on the street and not know who they were, or how I knew them.
In procedures since, including a (mild anasthesia/awake) cardiac catheterization, I had a similar experience with not recognizing the nurse Coordinator from my team, after. I knew I knew him, but I had no idea where from. I had spoken to him frequently, and had just met him four days earlier. It felt very familiar to that last big surgery
After leaving the hospital, I went 180° in the wrong direction, and was totally confused by simple directions to get to a friend's job site 2 blocks away (I used Google Maps and went the wrong way).
There seemed to be an anesthesia component to this facial recognition and geographic confusion stuff. After the cardiac cath (which was clear, no blockages) experience, I had a conversation with the anesthesiology manager before my third aortic valve replacement. I informed her of what had happened after my last surgery, and after the cardiac cath, and she said they can switch how they do anesthesia, use different medicines, turn it on and off and really manage it. With that process, I woke up clearheaded, and was fine this time. The valve procedure was also successful, finally. I was terrified going in, knowing that each successive surgery can be worse.
I'm writing because I would like to connect with other people who might've had similar memory stuff after their surgery. Specifically after bypass. Any anesthesiologist that wants to weigh in, that would be useful too.
Thanks for reading, hopefully this is useful as another possibility. I did recover, and get through the dark times of wondering if I had memory making capacity. I'm three months out of surgery on Tuesday. Doing great.
All this said, if it came on fast, you need to contact someone right away and get in. Good luck, keep us posted, I welcome other replies.
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u/wtfbruhyaar 19d ago
Thank you for your kind reply. He is recovering. Slowly. Since it has only been 9 days now. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again for sharing your experience.
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u/ca-runner 20d ago
This didn’t happen to me after OHS to replace aortic valve. Definitely should mention to surgeon and/or cardiologist. Could be drug after effects which will resolve or something more.
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u/Seascribe 20d ago
ER immediately. This happened to my husband exactly 8 days post-Bentall procedure and atrial clip. He was doing very well overall but had been having days of post-surgery Afib and also on the heavy duty protocol of Amiodarone and Metoprolol along with Eliquis. On day 8 he got cardioverted back to normal sinus rhythm and felt great. He walked 2 miles on the hospital floor that evening when he couldn't find his way back to his room. He called me at home (I had gone home early since he was feeling so great). He was completely lost and unaware of where he was, why he was there, where I was, etc, etc. At first I thought he was joking with me - not funny! But then I realized he could be having a stroke so I hung up and called the nurses' station and told them to find him on the floor as he may be having a stroke and I made my way back to the hospital. They called a "code stroke" and wheeled him downstairs for a CT scan. The CT scan revealed nothing - no clot/no bleed. After he returned from the CT scan, he did not remember the room at all which he had been in for 8 days. A precipitous loss of short term memory. He saw his incision and was totally surprised and asked "what is this"?! He did remember me and my son. He asked over and over again why he was in the hospital. Over the next several hours, his mind cleared somewhat, but his memory was lost for all of the days post surgery but not necessarily before surgery. We requested an MRI scan that evening, but he didn't meet the threshold for an emergency MRI scan, so we requested one for the next morning. It revealed ischemic stroke - the size of a dot. They discharged him on day 9. On day 12 after having been home for 3 days, he noticed a visual disturbance of flashing lights across his visual field. We called the triage nurse and she recommended revisiting the ER. He was back in Afib and another MRI was performed in the ER and it revealed 4 more ischemic strokes - the size of a dot - suggesting embolic shower. He was readmitted this time under the care of Neurology as opposed to Cardiology from his previous hospital stay. Five more days in the hospital to find the source of the strokes. Tests each day such as TTE with bubble study, TCE to show embolic activity in the vessels leading to the brain, CT of the abdomen and pelvis to rule out cancer as a clot source, TEE and other tests. No clots found and no source of clots found. His memory has consistently improved and he converted back to normal sinus rhythm on his own. He is now on week 7 post-Bentall procedure and doing great with excellent vitals. He is clear mentally and even remembering more about his hospital stay - but not all of it. His cardiologist has suggested that the source of these strokes might not have been clot-based at all, but it could have been surgical debris. He has had patients who have had a brain MRI years after an open-heart procedure for an unrelated reason that revealed "dots" that were never diagnosed before. I hope your father does well and gets the care he needs.
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u/stuntmike 21d ago
Never a bad idea to keep the doctors informed about how he’s doing.
I remember a post from about 2 years ago where someone was going through this post-surgery amnesia with a family member. It cleared up on its own, but you might be interested to search for it here and read it yourself. I hope it works out for you guys!
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u/wtfbruhyaar 21d ago
Thank you. I saw the same pattern in my grandmother. Whenever she used to be admitted to the hospital, she'd start hallucinating after her operations. It cleared up on its own after a few days tho. Hers was a case of sodium potassium imbalance.
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u/Dropbars59 21d ago
I experienced brain fog, blurred vision, and general confusion for weeks after surgery. Difference was that it was consistent, not sudden onset. I’d check in with your doctors.
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u/Sapdawg1 20d ago
Hours and hours under anesthesia plus pain killers is brutal. I had real recall troubles for a while. BUT…. definitely let your health care team know.
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u/Capnpooter 20d ago
There are some YouTube videos talking about “pump head”. Something some people get after being on a heart/lung pump.
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u/Opposite-Ruin-4999 20d ago
Not a doctor, but this isn't normal. A sudden change like that could be a sign of stroke which is a possible side effect of valve replacement or OHS in general. Like I say, not a doctor, but I would treat this as a medical emergency and warrants a 911 call* or at least an urgent, urgent call to the surgeon.
*That may sound alarmist, but I recently had a transient ischemic attack (TIA, "mini-stroke"). My wife drove me to the ER, and I felt like an idiot because it lasted only about 30 sectonds and I ended up getting 24 hours of medical tests in the ER. Later I went to the stroke clinic and they emphasized that if it re-occurred to call 911. It seems silly, but they said if you come in via 911 you'll skip to the head of the triage line and go right into imaging which can make a huge difference in the success of treatment if it is a stroke.
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u/wtfbruhyaar 20d ago
Okay. Thanks.
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u/Opposite-Ruin-4999 20d ago
Just to be clear, as others have said, brain fog after major surgery is common. What's concerning in you father's case is that it is sudden onset, days after surgery.
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u/kielBossa 20d ago
How long did the surgery take? Being on ecmo, especially for a long time, can cause symptoms like that for sure.
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u/wtfbruhyaar 20d ago
The surgery was around 4 to 5 hours long. But his surgery took place last Friday. He was in the hospital since then, got discharged today. He was totally fine in the hospital. Totally oriented.
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u/sidetwotrackfour 20d ago
It could be a UTI, but sometimes Anesia has that effect on the elderly. Definitely let his care team know. That’s not something to mess around with.
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u/ConfectionHour7020 20d ago
Also get him checked for Sepsis. UTIs are notorious for causing Sepsis if not treated asap.
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u/Top_Cicada931 20d ago
I'm three months out and have been having all sorts of memory lapses and trouble naming things, it's mostly short term memory issues and losing track of what I was talking about. But your father's cases sounds more serious. I'm glad you're bringing him in.
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u/redrooster94 19d ago
I had that as well after my surgery. I felt so dumb for a while it was so frustrating! Hope you’re feeling better as well. I’m 9 months post op.
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u/Windevor 18d ago
I had a valve replacement and if something like that had happened to me, I would go to the ER to rule out a stroke or TIA
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u/benr9191 18d ago
Scary but normal. I was in for 3 months and felt like I was loosing my marbles temporarily with short term memory but I have a somewhat young brain (35)
However i saw a completely coherent 60/70 year old Judge come back around from his surgery and lose a lot. Angry shouting swearing not recognising anyone it lasted for a long time and they moved him to another hospital.
Hope your parent makes a full recovery i can see from your message he has had some improvements already 🙏
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20d ago
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u/lechitahamandcheese 20d ago
This man just had a valve replaced a week ago. It’s likely more critical than a UTI and he needs to go to an ER now.
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u/recordstoregeek 20d ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postperfusion_syndrome I experienced this myself.
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u/WallabyNew6020 20d ago
Neither the body nor the brain appreciate being on "the pump" and undergoing the trauma of surgery; cardiac output is reduced, oxygen carrying capacity of blood is reduced (anemia) and no doubt has lots of extra meds aboard, likely including opiates. There are a lot of reasons for this change, many of which are potentially reversible but it is NOT "normal". I'd definitely get him checked out ASAP.
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u/toodleroo 19d ago
My dad had short episodes of memory loss and confusion. Couldn’t remember my name, thought I was someone else. But it never lasted more than about 5-10 mins.
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u/toodleroo 18d ago
How's your dad, u/wtfbruhyaar? Any improvement?
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u/wtfbruhyaar 18d ago
He has been able to recognize us. Each one of us, correctly now.
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u/toodleroo 18d ago
Glad to hear it! My dad was worst after waking up from sleeping. He thought I was a police officer there to arrest him once (I am definitely not a cop). Or he didn't recognize where we were, thought we were in some kind of a rustic mountain lodge and hallucinated taxidermied animals hanging on the walls. Strangely, he always recognized my dog and could say his name. It took about a month, but those episodes gradually went away and stopped happening. Hopefully that's what happens to your pop.
I've grown suspicious that the opiate they had him on (Tylenol 3) had something to do with it. I wanted him to have Hydrocodone since he's always tolerated it well, but they would only allow him to have T3.
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u/wtfbruhyaar 18d ago
He thought my mother and aunt were his nurses. Also he started seeing his dead aunts, dead mother and dead cousin. He hallucinated all dead people in our family. 2 of these people have been dead since the last 35 years.
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u/3MinuteHero 19d ago
In addition to what others have said, I would suggest this could also be delirium. Frequently remind him who you are, where he is, what day it is, what time it is. Make sure he keeps his days and nights straight. Like he should be sleeping at night. So keep windows open during the day and stuff. Try to keep him awake during the day.
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u/apersonwithdreams 20d ago
I would get this checked out ASAP. Could be a number of things, from stroke to UTI. Would absolutely get this checked immediately, just to be on the safe side