How Long Is Recovery From Open Heart Surgery

What Is The Fastest Way To Recover From Bypass Surgery

The fastest way to recover is to be patient with yourself. Take time to return to a normal routine dont try to rush it. Know that your cardiac care team cares about your recovery and is available to help you through this process.

Perhaps one of the most important steps to recovery is your outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program. This usually starts a few weeks after surgery. It includes guidance on exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle all the keys to heart health after CABG. The program is supervised by therapists who are specially trained to care for people with heart conditions.

In general, cardiac rehab programs last at least six weeks. But the length can vary depending on your needs. Its common to think its unnecessary or even too time-consuming. But we cant stress enough how important it is. Please speak with your care team if you have financial or other concerns.

Who Is In Theater For Open Heart Surgery

A team of doctors and other health professionals work together in the operating theater during open heart surgery.

The team is likely to include:

• the lead surgeon who will direct others surgeons who will assist during the operation
• the anesthesiologist, who is in charge of giving and anesthesia and monitoring vital signs
• the pump team, also known as perfusionists, operate the heart-lung machine and other technical equipment that supports open heart surgery
• nurses and technicians, who assist the surgical team and prepare the operating theater for surgery

Reasons To Call Your Doctor

If you feel any of these symptoms, report them to your doctor or nurse:

• Palpitations or a heart rate greater than 120 beats per minute when you are at rest, or a change from a regular to an irregular pulse.
• Increased fatigue or shortness of breath at rest.
• Temperature greater than 101 degrees more than one time, or chills for 24 hours.
• Excessive redness, swelling, soreness or drainage from any wound site.
• Swelling in your ankles and hands with a weight gain of two or more pounds in one day or five pounds in one week.
• Abnormal pain or other symptoms that do not go away with your medication.
• Pain in the calf of your leg.

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How Long Does It Take To Recover From Open

Open-heart surgery refers to a surgical procedure, in which cardio surgeons direct the blood flow across a section of any partially blocked or completely blocked artery of the patients heart. In simple words, the surgery involves creation of a new pathway towards the heart. In this way, the open-heart surgery helps in improving the flow of blood towards the heart muscle.

During this surgery, cardio surgeons take a healthy blood vessel from the arm, chest or leg of a patient and connect it to various other arteries in the heart to allow bypass of the blood from the blocked or diseased area.

The main role of open-heart surgery is to bring improvement in chest pain, breathing shortness and similar other problems, which often take place because of the flow of poor blood towards the heart. In addition, the surgery has successfully brought improvement in the cardiac function and thereby, reduced the risk related to die because of heart problems.

What Should You Avoid Doing After Having Cabg Surgery

Your body needs quite a bit of time to heal after a major surgery like CABG. Its important to follow your care teams instructions and ask them when you have questions. They will likely advise you to avoid certain activities while you recover, some of which may include the following:

• It takes time for the sternum to heal. So for at least a couple of weeks after surgery, most people should avoid lifting, pushing, or pulling more than 10 pounds.

• You should also limit use of your arms to simple everyday tasks like getting dressed and playing cards. In other words, dont lift your arms above your head or behind your back.

• Dont drive for the first 2 to 3 weeks. This helps avoid injuring your chest, but its also because you may still be on pain meds and not feeling 100% yet.

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Is This The Same As Robotic Surgery

While some centers around the country use a surgical robot to perform mitral valve surgery, my approach is considered traditional surgery. I choose not to use a robot. This means my patients benefit from the same outcomes of traditional surgery, which is supported by decades of research, but they get the added benefit of a minimally invasive approach.

There is no denying robotic surgery has revolutionized many complex procedures, however, when it comes to heart valve surgery the robotic approach requires multiple small incisions and takes longer to complete than a mini-thoracotomy. I have performed more than 3,500 heart valve surgeries during my career, and more than 1,000 of those have taken place at UT Southwestern’s William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.

This means the same intake team, the same OR team, and the same post-surgery recovery team have taken care of my patients more than 1,000 times.

Benefits Of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Doctors, nurses, exercise physiologists, psychologists and dietitians work together to design rehab programs to help each patient progress physically, emotionally and socially. Patients going through cardiac rehab can experience many benefits including:

• Stopping and in some cases even reversing damage to the heart and blood vessels
• Living longer and reducing the chances of having a heart attack
• Getting stronger and enjoying a better quality of life
• Feeling better and more confident doing daily activities

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What Is Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac surgery is any surgery that involves your heart or the blood vessels connected to your heart. Its also called cardiovascular surgery or simply heart surgery. Heart surgery is complex and requires the specialized expertise of cardiac surgeons. Its a major event that can improve heart function and circulation and give you a whole new lease on life.

Heart surgery can correct issues you were born with . It can also repair issues that develop later in life. The type of heart surgery you have depends on the underlying problem or combination of problems.

What Are The Types Of Open

There are two ways to perform open-heart surgery:

• On-pump: A heart-lung bypass machine connects to the heart and temporarily takes over for the heart and lungs. It circulates blood through the body while moving blood away from the heart. The surgeon then operates on a heart that isnt beating and doesnt have blood flow. After surgery, the surgeon disconnects the device and the heart starts to work again.
• Off-pump:Off-pump bypass surgery takes place on a heart that continues to beat on its own. This approach only works for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery . Your surgeon may call this beating-heart surgery.

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Six To 10 Weeks After Surgery

If you had open heart surgery and your surgeon divided your sternum, it will be about 80% healed after six to eight weeks. By that time, youll generally be strong enough to get back to normal activities, such as driving, Dr. Tong says. You can probably also return to work, unless your job is physically strenuous.

Most importantly, this is the time to start a cardiac rehabilitation program. This is a monitored exercise program designed to increase your hearts endurance. Through cardiac rehabilitation, you can gradually increase your activities, and your doctors will watch your progress closely. Youll also learn more about how you can change your lifestyle and diet to keep your heart healthy.

Working through a cardiac rehabilitation program is the best way to find out when youre strong enough to resume the more strenuous activities you enjoy.

How Long Does Open Heart Surgery Last

The duration of the open heart surgery depends on the actual procedure that is being performed. On average, the duration of this kind of surgery is around three or four hours. Besides the actual procedure, at least one hour before and one hour after the surgery will be necessary. The hour before will be used in order to prep the surgical field, administer the anesthesia and other things like that. The hour after the surgery is necessary for post-operative initial care. The duration of the surgery might increase if there are complications with the surgery.

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The St Pauls Rehabilitation Experience

Located conveniently near you, St. Pauls Senior Community offers comprehensive senior rehabilitation services to provide support for you and your loved one through any upcoming medical procedures, injury recovery, or other health concerns. We know youre likely to have questions, and wed be happy to answer them for you. To get more information, please contact us. Our team is ready to help!

From Hospital Discharge To Six Weeks

As you begin getting back into your routine, remember to start with small tasks and take plenty of breaks. Dont overdo it.

After you leave the hospital, unless your surgeon says otherwise, you may return to activities such as:

• Light cleaning.
• Climbing stairs.

Some things are still off limits, though.Dont lift, pull or push anything that weighs more than 10 pounds. Its too soon to drive, too, but its OK to ride in a car.

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Why Might A Person Need Heart Bypass Surgery

When a material in your blood called plaque builds up on your arterial walls, less blood flows to the heart muscle. This type of coronary artery disease is known as atherosclerosis.

The heart is more likely to become exhausted and fail if its not receiving enough blood. Atherosclerosis can affect any arteries in the body.

Your doctor may recommend heart bypass surgery if your coronary arteries become so narrowed or blocked that you run a high risk of a heart attack.

Your doctor will also recommend bypass surgery when the blockage is too severe to manage with medication or other treatments.

A team of doctors, including a cardiologist, identify whether you can undergo open-heart surgery. Some medical conditions can complicate surgery or eliminate it as a possibility.

Conditions that can cause complications include:

In the past decade, more alternatives to heart bypass surgery have become available. These include:

When To Call The Doctor

• You have chest pain or shortness of breath that does not go away when you rest.
• Your pulse feels irregular â it is very slow or very fast .
• You have dizziness, fainting, or you are very tired.
• You have a severe headache that does not go away.
• You have a cough that does not go away
• You are coughing up blood or yellow or green mucus.
• You have problems taking any of your heart medicines.
• Your weight goes up by more than 2 pounds in a day for 2 days in a row.
• Your wound changes. It is red or swollen, it has opened, or there is more drainage coming from it.
• You have chills or a fever over 101°F .

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Sleeping Can Be Hard After Surgery

Its hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in. If you are a side or belly sleeper it can be hard laying on your back. Finding your favorite chest pillow will be your savior. You might also experience nightmares for a bit after surgery, but it will pass. If you continue to experience them, speak to your doctor and seek help if you feel like you are experiencing PTSD.

Managing Pain After Open Heart Surgery

Managing your pain is an important part of your recovery after heart surgery. In addition to keeping you comfortable, pain control can help speed your recovery and reduce your risk of developing certain complications after surgery, like pneumonia and blood clots. Your pain level should be managed to the point that youre able to get up, walk around, cough and take deep breaths after surgery.

After heart surgery, you need to be able to move with some degree of comfort to aid the healing process, Dr. Tong says. Keeping your pain level manageable will help make sure your recovery stays on track.

You may leave the hospital with a prescription for pain medication and detailed instructions on how to use those medications to manage your pain.

People are often apprehensive about taking narcotic pain medications because of the risk of addiction, Dr. Tong notes. That is a healthy and very reasonable fear and an important conversation to have with your doctor. There are safeguards in place to stem opioid abuse and protect you from abusing medications. When it comes to prescription pain medication, for most people, its a matter of listening to your body. If you need it, take it. If you dont, dont.

If you have concerns about bringing narcotics into your home, or if you have a history of substance use disorder, be honest with your doctor. Theyll be able to discuss your options with you and determine a pain control plan with you.

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What Happens After Open

Depending on the procedure, you may stay in the hospital intensive care unit for a day or longer. When youre ready, you will move to a regular hospital room.

You can expect to stay several days in the hospital. Your heart care team will explain how to care for your incision. You may have a special firm pillow to protect your chest when you cough, sneeze or get out of bed.

After surgery, you may experience:

What Are Some Types Of Heart Surgery

There are many types of heart surgery. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, lists the following as among the most common coronary surgical procedures.

In addition to these surgeries, a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery that is becoming more common is transcatheter structural heart surgery. This involves guiding a long, thin, flexible tube called a catheter to your heart through blood vessels that can be accessed from the groin, thigh, abdomen, chest, neck, or collarbone. A small incision is necessary. This type of surgery includes transcatheter aortic valve implantation to replace a faulty aortic valve with a valve made from animal tissue, MitraClip® placement for mitral valve abnormalities, and WATCHMAN® placement for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients.

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You May Feel Like Youre On An Emotional Roller Coaster

Recovering from open-heart surgery involves physical and emotional healing. The recovery process uses emotional and physical energy.

If you feel upset or emotional in the weeks after your operation, dont worry this is a normal reaction. Many patients report these feelings up to three months after the operation:

• Mood swings that may include depression, fear, anxiety, loneliness, helplessness and anger

• Crying easily for no apparent reason

• Lack of energy or motivation

• Getting easily frustrated

• Having good days and bad days

• Feeling more emotional or sentimental than normal

Even though you may feel drained physically and emotionally, its important to follow guidelines for good self-care:

• Get dressed every day

• Walk daily within your limits

• Get plenty of rest

Is Full Recovery Possible

Is it possible or reasonable to make a full recovery? What exactly is a full recovery? The idea of a full recovery is typically understood as functioning as well as prior to surgery, or better. That expectation may not be reasonable, a better definition might be reaching your best possible level of function after surgery. Some surgeries are not performed for a cure, but to improve pain, remove infection, or slow a disease process.

For example, imagine a patient who has a severe infection in their foot that is both painful and life-threatening. The problem is not being controlled by antibiotics or wound care, and the infection is threatening to move to the rest of the body. Surgically removing the foot could very well save the patients life, and put an end to the infection however, walking will be a very different thing after surgery, potentially requiring a prosthetic foot. For this patient, a return to good health without an infection, and a well-healed incision may be considered an outstanding outcome and a complete recovery.

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What To Expect While You Recover In The Hospital

There are a full range of cardiac surgery procedures that repair and restore heart function. How long you stay in the hospital depends on the type of surgery you have.

Immediately after surgery, youll receive care in the hospitals intensive care unit . A care team of cardiac ICU specialists, respiratory therapists and nurses monitors you closely.

After two to three days, youll transition to intermediate care. Here youll begin physical and occupational therapy to help you transition to home. Youll learn how to move through daily tasks while protecting your incision and minimizing discomfort as you heal.

For standard open-heart surgery, youll stay in the hospital for five to seven days. You may need more time to recover after more complex surgery. After minimally invasive procedures, youll stay for one to three days.

Many patients continue their recovery at home. If you need additional therapy, your doctor may recommend care at a rehabilitation facility before returning home.

You may experience a variety of symptoms after heart surgery, including chest pain, constipation, muscle pain, loss of appetite, swelling and trouble sleeping. Medications can provide relief, which should improve over time.