Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
I Recently Had Double Bypass Surgery . Now 2 Months
Question: I recently had double bypass surgery. Now 2 months after the procedure, I find that I hear my heart beat constantly in my left ear. Furthermore, when I lean back and rest my head on a pillow or cushion, the beat of my heart causes my head to jerk in rhythm. I read somewhere that all these symptoms are the result of the pericardia sack being opened and no longer able to properly dampen the noises from the heart. Additionally, I read some doctors close the sack after the surgery while some choose to leave it open. If the surgeon leaves the pericardia sack open will it close on its own after the surgery and will thie beating of my heart in my ear eventually go away or diminish?
Brief Answer:
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello Sir
After going through the medical details and symptoms detailed by you I would like to tell you that your symptoms of feeling heart beat is most probably because of palpitations or fast heart rate rather than pericardium being left open or closed.
I would like to suggest you to consult your cardiologist personally and get an ecg and an echocardiography done to understand the underlying cause.
Hope to have been helpful.
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu Partap
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello Sir
After going through the medical details and symptoms detailed by you I would like to tell you that your symptoms of feeling heart beat is most probably because of palpitations or fast heart rate rather than pericardium being left open or closed.
I would like to suggest you to consult your cardiologist personally and get an ecg and an echocardiography done to understand the underlying cause.
Hope to have been helpful.
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu Partap
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
My heartbeat is a steady 55 beats per minute at rest, so I know this is not due to an accelerated heart beat. The heart beat in my left ear was not there before the surgery and at the moment is quite bothersome because it is constant. I am due to see my cardiologist in one week, but I was hoping I could get an answer to this question from another cardiologist.
Brief Answer:
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
If your heart rate is within normal limits then palpitations as a cause is excluded. But echocardiogram is still advisable as it provide a real time view of heart and enable us to see if then is any significant valvular leak or some fluid collection which again could be causing the pulsating sensations.
Yes pericardium do have a dampening effect and some surgeons do prefer to leave it open in order to avoid early and late complications like constrictions of grafts etc.
Yes open pericardium does heals in majority of the patients over a period of time.
Regards
Dr Bhanu Partap
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
If your heart rate is within normal limits then palpitations as a cause is excluded. But echocardiogram is still advisable as it provide a real time view of heart and enable us to see if then is any significant valvular leak or some fluid collection which again could be causing the pulsating sensations.
Yes pericardium do have a dampening effect and some surgeons do prefer to leave it open in order to avoid early and late complications like constrictions of grafts etc.
Yes open pericardium does heals in majority of the patients over a period of time.
Regards
Dr Bhanu Partap
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Thank you Doctor. It is my hope that the pulsating in my ear goes away at some point. Imagine having someone beat a drum next to your ear all day long. It is quite disconcerting.
Brief Answer:
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
Yes hopefully you will get rid of this unpleasant and annoying pulsation.
Still I would like to suggest to get an echocardiogram done when you meet your treating cardiologist.
I hope this information will answer your query. If you have any other doubts you can ask or else you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu Partap
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
Yes hopefully you will get rid of this unpleasant and annoying pulsation.
Still I would like to suggest to get an echocardiogram done when you meet your treating cardiologist.
I hope this information will answer your query. If you have any other doubts you can ask or else you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu Partap
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
