How to protect yourself from post-operative complications

Why did actor Bill Paxton die after heart surgery?

By now you’ve probably heard the shocking news about actor Bill Paxton, who died last weekend at the young age of 61.

Whether he was playing the storm chaser in Twister, Private Hudson in Aliens, or an astronaut in the movie Apollo 13, Paxton could always be counted on to act “his heart out,” as co-star Helen Hunt said.

But apparently it was Paxton’s heart — or, as reported, complications from heart surgery — that caused his death.

And yes, that’s pretty scary.

While we don’t yet know the details on what he was being treated for, we do know that he died because of a post-operative stroke. And that’s something that can hit anyone, Hollywood star or not, after heart surgery.

But despite that, and other frightening risks, there are some proven safeguards that will up the odds that you or a loved one will bounce back better than ever after a surgical scare.

Life-and-death decisions
If you’ve just had surgery, the last thing you want your doctor or nurse to say is that famous line from Apollo 13, “Houston, we have a problem.”

While surgical procedures are getting safer all the time, there are still some things you can do to make it even more so. And that starts with the most important safeguard of all — making sure that your operation or procedure is really necessary.

That may sound like a strange question to ask an experienced doctor, even embarrassing. After all, you’re putting your life in his hands, so you certainly trust him!

But the fact remains that many surgeries and heart operations aren’t really necessary.

Research done several years ago by USA Today discovered that unnecessary surgical procedures could account for up to 20 percent of all operations done.

If you’ve been told you need an operation — including a heart procedure such as a catheterization, pacemaker implant, or stent, all the way to open heart surgery — get a second or even a third opinion.

Another equally important, perhaps life-or-death, decision when it comes to being operated on is the hospital you choose.

When U.S. News and World Report analyzed millions of Medicare records recently, it discovered an astounding difference between the death rates for procedures done in what’s called “low-volume” hospitals versus ones that are more experienced.

For example, it found that when having a knee replaced at a small regional medical center — one where they do very few of those procedures a year — your risk of dying will be 24 times higher than the national average.

And the same goes for a surgeon’s experience.

Generally speaking, hospitals will allow a doctor to do any surgery they’ve been trained for. But that doesn’t mean they have enough experience. They might not have done that procedure in years.

For something major such as heart-bypass surgery, experts say you want a doctor who does a minimum of 100 a year. For knee and hip replacement, it should be at least 50.

While you’re in the hospital, both before and after an operation, no doubt you’ll be given lots of drugs, some of which you may have no idea how they might affect you. That’s a big part of the reason that it’s estimated up to a million hospital patients — of all ages — fall during hospital stays every year.

Even if you feel fit as a fiddle after surgery, ask for help getting out of bed and going to the bathroom. There’s nothing like a bad fall to set you back to square one.

And of course, don’t be shy about speaking up if something just doesn’t feel right after an operation. From fever to unexplained swelling to anything else that seems wrong — this isn’t the time to be reluctant to ask questions!

“Bill Paxton, star of ‘Big Love’ and movie blockbusters, dies at 61” Erin McCann, February 26, 2017, The New York Times, nytimes.com