- What happens after surgery
- When you come home
- When to return to normal activities
- How to avoid complications after surgery
Childhood heart surgery is recommended when the child is born with a serious heart problem, such as valve stenosis, or when he has a degenerative disease that can cause progressive damage to the heart, requiring replacement or repair of parts of the heart.
Usually, pediatric cardiac surgery is a very delicate procedure and its complexity varies according to the child's age, medical history and general health status. Thus, it is always recommended to talk to the pediatrician or cardiologist about the expectations and risks of the surgery.
After surgery, the child needs to be admitted to the hospital to fully recover before returning home, which can take between 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the type of surgery and the evolution of each case.
What happens after surgery
After cardiac surgery, the child needs to stay in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for approximately 7 days, so that it is constantly evaluated, in order to avoid the development of complications, such as infection or rejection, for example.
During admission to the ICU, the child may be connected to several wires and tubes to ensure their well-being, such as:
- Ventilator tube: inserted into the child's mouth or nose to help the child breathe, and can be kept for 2 or 3 days; Chest drains: small tubes placed at the surgery site to remove excess blood, fluids and other waste from the surgery, accelerating recovery. They are maintained until the drain disappears; Catheters in the arms: they are usually kept directly attached to the veins of the arms or legs to allow the administration of serum or other medications and can be maintained throughout the hospital stay; Bladder probe: it is placed to maintain a frequent evaluation of the characteristics of the urine, allowing to check the functioning of the kidneys during the ICU stay. See the care you should take in: How to care for the person with a bladder catheter. Nasogastric tube in the nose: it is used for 2 or 3 days to allow the emptying of gases and acids from the stomach, avoiding gastric pain.
During this period of stay in the ICU, parents will not be able to stay with their child all day due to their fragile state, however, they will be able to be present for the daily activities that the nursing team deems appropriate, such as bathing or dressing, for example.
Generally, after admission to the ICU, the child is transferred to a children's hospitalization service for another 2 weeks, where he can start daily activities, such as eating, playing or painting with other children, for example. During this phase, a parent is allowed to stay with their child constantly, including spending the night in the hospital.
When you come home
The return home happens about 3 weeks after the surgery, however, this time can be changed according to the results of the blood tests that the child does every day or the cardiac biopsy done 2 weeks after the surgery.
In order to maintain regular assessment of the child after discharge from the hospital, several appointments can be scheduled with the cardiologist to assess vital signs, 1 or 2 times a week, and to have an electrocardiogram every 2 or 3 weeks, for example.
When to return to normal activities
After returning home, it is important to stay at home, avoiding going to school for 3 weeks. In addition, it is also important to maintain a balanced diet and start physical activity gradually, according to the doctor's guidelines, to keep your heart healthy and increase the chances of success over the years. Learn how food should be: Diet for the heart.
How to avoid complications after surgery
The risks of child cardiac surgery vary according to the type of surgery and problem to be treated, however, the most important ones during recovery include:
- Infection: it is the main risk associated with any type of surgery due to the weakening of the immune system, however, to avoid this risk, you should wash your hands before being with the child, avoid contact with many family members during hospitalization and offer a protective mask for the child, for example; Rejection: it is a frequent problem in children who need to have a heart transplant or replace parts of the heart with artificial prostheses, for example. To reduce this risk, it is recommended to keep the regular intake of medicines at the appropriate time; Coronary heart disease: it is a disease that can develop a few months after surgery and can be avoided with healthy habits, such as a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Thus, during the child's recovery, it is important to be aware of signs and symptoms that may indicate the development of complications, such as fever above 38ยบ, excessive tiredness, apathy, difficulty breathing, vomiting or lack of appetite, for example. In these cases, it is recommended to go immediately to the emergency room to start the appropriate treatment.
