I am about to have open heart surgery what should i expect?

Answer 1

My mom had this done this past April and she hasn't recover yet. Make sure you do all your lung exercises they tell you, so you do not end up intubated. Try to walk after the surgery as much as you can so clots do not develope... My mom was in the hospital for over 2 months.. She even went in a comma because she developed pneumonia while in the ICU.. 9 days in a comma.. She has diabetes that is why she had so many complications.. Have someone to help you and take it easy.. Do not push yourself so you can get better soon. May God Bless you and do not be scared, technology is good and our Health System is well advanced.. It will be okay you just have to give your all to recuperate..

Answer 2

A lot of open heart surgery patients can be home in 4 days! It depends significantly on the patient, how many grafts are needed, and any other health problems the patient may have. Patients that are diabetic, have lung problems or kidney problems may take a bit longer to recover just because of these complications. A lot of hospitals will have you come in before the surgery for some education - to explain the procedure itself, perform some laboratory and lung function tests, and to discuss some presurgery preparation they may want you to do in advance. The requirements have changed a lot - but I remember having to shampoo my hair 3 times with iodine! They don't make you do that any more. The morning of surgery they usually give you some medication to relax you and then off you go :). During the procedure it is actually more difficult for your family because they are awake and worried about you while you are sleeping away. During the surgery they have to put you on a ventilator - because of the anesthesia they use - but as soon as you are awake enough they will remove it. They used to wait until the morning after surgery - but now they try to remive it much earlier. Right after surgery you are taken straight to ICU or CICU where an experienced nurse will take care of you. You will be hooked up to all kinds of monitors. It is reassuring to know that during this time your condition is being closely monitored by highly trained professionals. In addition to nurses, there are monitor techs, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, medical technologists, physical therapists, and even dietitians consulted about you! The nurses will try to get you up into a chair and walking as soon as possible after the surgery. They give you medication for pain but you are still very sore. The nurses will want you to cough - but because your chest hurts this might not be very easy - so they will tell you to hug your pillow - hugging the pillow helps support the chest and allows you to do a better job coughing. Some hospitals give out teddy bears to hug while coughing. Coughing is very important to make sure your lungs are clear so you don't get a respiratory infection. Once your condition improves you may be moved to another part of the hospital. You will probably still be on a heart monitor, but no longer requiring as much attention as before. They should give you booklets and education materials to make sure that when you go home you will know what lifestyle changes and medications you may need to take care of your new & improved heart. It is a good idea to have friends or family available to help you when you first go home. The trip home is pretty exhausting - so plan a nap when you get home rather than a party. You can go for a walk around the house later and have visitors. A pain pill as soon as you wake up - before you get out of bed makes the morning easier - so be sure to have this handy. Then try to walk every day. You may have a different experience than someone else because everyones case is different and also because there have been a lot of changes in cardiac surgery One unexpected complication after open heart surgery is depression. I think that this is very common but do not know why - probably because of the physical challenge that you've just been through. Shortly after your surgery, you should ask your doctor if they recommend a "cardiac rehab program". This is a program of exercise and diet and is wonderful because there will be other people there that have just been through what you've been through. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Answer 3

Well, you'll get to meet a lot of really nice people who want to take your
money away from you ;)

It really isn't much different from any other general surgery except
that they keep you in the hospital for a lot longer and they give you a long
long long list of things you should and shouldn't do.

There is usually some postoperative pain because they crack the chest
but I'm sure you'll get all the fun drugs to go with it.

Its getting pretty routine these days. Strange but true.

Answer 4

Depends on exactly what you are having done! Technology has come so far that it is no where near as bad as it once was! My mom had it(single bypass and valve repair) she was out of the hospital in two days at 55 years old. It will be painful! It will heal quickly though. Just do what the doctors tell you!

Answer 5

hi i am a nurse firstly if you smoke give up now, and it will cause breathing differculties after your op, open heart surgey is major, it's not going to be easy and takes a good 9 months to fully recover, you won't know much for the first few days as you will be heavily sedated, they will bring you round about 2 hours after op, then put you back into controlled coma, all you have to remember is take all their advise and keep doing the physio

Answer 6

Well, some soreness in the ribs. Maybe some nausea from anesthetic. If it's a transplant or something else that would affect the immune system, you would be asked to wear a mask for a while.

Not sure what else.

Answer 7

Take a 30 day supply of glyconutrients before the sugery and get checked out first.


read my testimonials.

Answer 8

A doctor named, pet lover on yahoo answers.

Answer 9

turn cough and deep breath

Answer 10

You will meet with the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and a nurse who will explain your condition and treatment
You will learn what to expect during anesthesia, surgery, family visits and the days after your surgery

The night before surgery, you will be asked to take a shower or bath with special soap that is provided

Your doctor will probably order medication to help you sleep and relax.
Do not eat or drink anything between midnight and the time of your procedure
If your mouth gets too dry, you may rinse it with water but don't swallow
If your procedure is scheduled for the morning hours, you will be awakened early enough to make preparations (take a shower, brush your teeth, etc.) for surgery. At that time you will be asked to remove the following:

Dentures, hairpins, nail polish, makeup, jewelry, glasses, contact lenses, underwear.

Since you will not be returning to the same room after surgery, please give valuables and other belongings to a designated family member.
Next, you will be given one or two injections that will make you sleepy and make your mouth dry. Please stay in your bed after receiving these medications.....Your family can wait in the waiting room on the second floor. A representative will be at the guest reception desk to answer any questions.

When you begin to awaken from the anesthetic, you might first be aware of sounds from the medical equipment around you. You will find that a breathing tube has been placed in your mouth, making it difficult to speak or swallow. It will be removed as soon as possible and your nurse will be close by to assist you................................................................//While the sternum (breastbone) is healing, avoid lifting greater than 10 pounds, or pushing/pulling activities with your arms.

Showers are permitted but tub baths are discouraged for 4-6 weeks or until your incisions are healed. Avoid extremely hot water which may cause you to feel dizzy or weak. You may gently wash (don't rub) your incision with soap. Do not use creams or lotions on incisions until they are healed.

Avoid driving a car for 4-6 weeks after surgery. Your reaction time will be delayed due to weakness, fatigue, and/or medication. You do not want to risk hitting the steering wheel and reinjuring the sternum. When riding in a car for long distances, stop every 1-2 hours to stretch your legs. This will improve circulation in your legs and help prevent swelling.

Do not cross your legs while lying in bed or sitting. This puts pressure on the veins under the knees and slows blood flow. If your legs or feet swell, you should put them on a chair or stool while sitting.

Avoid isometrics: straining to move your bowels, pushing/pulling heavy objects, or working with your arms overhead. These activities disproportionately elevate blood pressure and put an added strain on a healing heart.

It is important to space and pace your activities to minimize fatigue. If your feel tired, STOP, and rest for a while. Don't push yourself to finish a task.

A rest period should be taken at least once a day for a few weeks and, initially, preferably twice, morning and afternoon. Napping is not necessary, but resting is. Be sure to dress daily in street clothes. You are on your way to recovery!

Stair climbing is not discouraged. Avoid pulling yourself up with a handrail, and go slowly.

Use your elastic stockings during the day and remove them at night. You should wear the stockings for at least 2 weeks after discharge or more if your ankles are still swollen. The stockings aid blood flow and help reduce swelling in the legs. It is easiest to put the stockings on before you get out of bed in the morning for the day, however most people put them on after a morning shower. They should fit snugly.

Your may notice a swelling or lump at the top of your chest incision which could take several months to disappear.

Most patients experience incisional discomfort in the sternum. This discomfort will decrease in time, but may reoccur when there is as adverse change in the weather or when you overextend yourself. Do not hesitate to use pain relieving medication as you need it.

It is important to distinguish incisional discomfort from chest pain (angina) you may have experienced prior to surgery. Contact your physician if you are experiencing chest pain.

If your chest or leg incisions do not appear to be healing (i.e., redness, drainage, swelling, or tenderness is present), notify your physician.

Take your temperature every morning for one week after discharge. Notify your physician if your temperature stays above 101degrees F for more than a day.

Check your weight every morning for the first two weeks. If you notice a sudden weight gain, notify your physician.

When you are upset, your heart works harder. It is best to anticipate and avoid situations, people, or topics of conversation that make you tense or angry.

Remember that your diet, medications, and exercise are prescribed specifically for you. Do not expect your friend or neighbor who has a heart condition to have the same prescriptions.

The operation takes 2-3 hours to perform, and begins after general anesthesia is induced. Patients are completely asleep during the entire course of the operation. Physician assistants remove saphenous vein through incisions in the legs . The length of the incision is dependent upon the amount of vein required to complete the necessary number of "bypasses" (ie 5 bypasses will require more vein than 2 bypasses). There are many "redundant" veins in the leg ... once some vein is removed, the other veins in the leg take over for the missing vein. Once the vein has been removed from the leg, it has the appearance of a long tube or "conduit". The vein will be divided into separate shorter segments, each of which will be used for individual bypasses.

As vein is removed from the leg by a physician assistant, the surgeon simultaneously opens the chest by dividing the breast bone or sternum, affording excellent exposure of the heart . An artery behind the sternum, the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is taken down and one end prepared for bypass grafting. Tubes or cannulae are inserted into the heart and major blood vessels surrounding the heart in preparation for cardiopulmonary bypass with the heart-lung machine.




At this point, the patient is placed on the heart-lung machine. Blood is re-directed from the heart into the heart-lung machine. This permits the surgeon to safely operate on the heart without blood pumping through it. The heart is then stopped, and the heart-lung machine continues to pump freshly oxygenated blood to the rest of the body, in effect, taking over the roles of the heart and lungs.





"Bypassed" heart
The diseased coronary arteries are now identified and opened beyond the level of the blockages . The open ends of the saphenous veins and LIMA are now sewn to the openings in the coronary arteries using very fine non-absorbable suture material, these are called the "distal" anastamoses Surgeons wear special magnifying lenses in order to see the delicate suture and small vessels.

Because the "inflow" through the LIMA is left intact, as soon as the LIMA anastamosis is completed, blood flow is established to that region of the heart. A vein graft however, is harvested as a "free graft" and has no "inflow" ... therefore, after the "distal" vein graft anastamosis is constructed, the other end of the vein graft is sewn to the aorta (the main artery leaving the heart) in order to establish "inflow". These are called the "proximal" anastamoses. After this stage, blood flow has now been established beyond all the blocked arteries, and the heart has effectively been "bypassed"

The heart-lung machine is then gradually weaned off, and the patient's heart and lungs resume their normal functions. The cannulae are removed from in and around the heart, and the sternum and incisions are closed. Drainage catheters are placed around the heart ... these are usually removed after 24hr. Temporary pacing wires to regulate the patient's heart rate, are sewn to the surface of the heart ... these are removed before the patient goes home.

Following the operation, patients are transported to the Cardiac Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, a specialized unit caring exclusively for open-heart surgery patients. Patients generally awaken from anesthesia 4-6hr after the operation. The following morning all drainage catheters and monitoring lines are usually removed, and patients are transferred to a standard hospital room in the cardiac recovery wing of the hospital. Patients undergoing a CABG operation are usually hospitalized for 4-5 days following the surgery. To see what to expect during the recovery of this operation,