Preparing for Open-Heart Surgery
Sound Heart at Overlake has been performing heart surgery since 1987. The program is led by world-class surgeons operating in state-of-the-art facilities. While facing open-heart surgery is a major life event, it often helps patients and families to know what to expect. Throughout your surgery experience, and during recovery, your care will be followed by your primary care physician (your internist, general or family practice physician) and your cardiologist.
Here are some common experiences for heart surgery patients:
- Sometime before surgery, you will be preadmitted to the hospital, where all your paperwork will be completed and insurance issues finalized. Prior to surgery you will talk to your anesthesiologist, who will ask you appropriate medical questions, and probably have blood drawn for lab work.
- On the day of surgery you will check in, change clothes and arrange for your belongings. You will most likely meet with your anesthesiologist again, and often your surgeon will come by your room to answer any questions and see how you are doing.
- Medications will be given to you via IV, including a mild sedative so you begin to grow sleepy. You will have some time with your family prior to going to the surgical unit.
- If you are an open-heart-surgery patient, you will wake up and recover in the Intensive Care Unit, where family can see you. After a day, most patients move to the Progressive Cardiac Care Unit for close monitoring. The typical length of stay is four to five days.
- Within two weeks, you will have a follow-up visit with your surgeon. Thereafter, your recovery and long-term care is provided by your cardiologist. This is also when rehabilitation programs begin. Patients who finish the program show great improvements in their overall health and well-being.