What to Expect Before Heart Surgery

If you are seeing a cardiothoracic surgeon it is likely you have been diagnosed with heart disease such as coronary artery disease, aortic or mitral valve disease, or an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm. Some people may have a combination of heart conditions to be addressed by the cardiothoracic surgeon.

At your initial office visit the surgeon will review the studies which have been performed and talk to you about your condition. She may order more studies or discuss with you proceeding with surgery. There are common studies which need to be performed before a heart surgery is actually performed. These studies may include: carotid ultrasound, saphenous vein ultrasound mapping, chest x-ray, blood work, or even dental extraction.

The surgeon will describe to you what the operation entails, stay in the hospital and the risks and benefits. Major open heart surgery requires a stay in the hospital of about a week with an average of one to two days in the intensive care unit.

Your cardiothoracic surgeon will discuss your physical ability to recover from heart surgery and discuss your medications. Several medications such as all blood thinners and herbal medications that can act as blood thinners must be stopped before surgery. The risks of bleeding on these medications can be extremely high. Medications that can affect your kidneys such as metformin may also be stopped. Your doctor will also ask you to refrain from drinking alcohol or smoking.

The hospitals have books with information that help you prepare for your surgery. You may be given instructions about showering with a special soap. The pre anesthesia testing center at each hospital will further go over day of surgery and pre-operative instructions and be in communication with your doctor. It is important not to eat or drink anything before surgery. This usually means nothing after midnight the night before your surgery. Making sure your stomach is empty helps protect your lungs from aspiration.

It is a good idea to make arrangements for who will help you after you return home from the hospital. After heart surgery patients are restricted from driving a car for four weeks. Sternal healing is very important.

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https://ctsurgerypatients.org/before-during-and-after-surgery/before-heart-surgery