Postoperative and recovery after cardiac surgery

The postoperative period of cardiac surgery consists of rest, preferably in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the first 48 hours after the procedure. This is because in the ICU there is all the equipment that can be used to monitor the patient in this initial phase, in which there is a greater chance of electrolyte disturbances, such as sodium and potassium, arrhythmia or cardiac arrest, which is an emergency situation in which the heart stops beating or starts beating slowly, which can lead to death. Learn more about cardiac arrest.

After 48 hours, the person will be able to go to the room or ward, and must remain until the cardiologist ensures that it is safe that he can return home. Discharge depends on a number of factors such as general health, diet and pain level, for example.

Right after cardiac surgery, it is indicated that the person starts physiotherapy treatment, which should be carried out for about 3 to 6 months or more, depending on the need, so that it improves the quality of life and allows a healthier recovery.

Cardiac surgery recovery

Recovery from cardiac surgery is slow and can take time and depends on the type of surgery that was performed by the doctor. If the cardiologist opted for minimally invasive cardiac surgery, the recovery time is shorter, and the person can return to work in about 1 month. However, if traditional surgery has been performed, the recovery time can reach 60 days.

After the surgery the person must follow some guidelines of the doctor to avoid complications and accelerate the recovery process, such as:

Dressing and surgical points: the dressing of the surgery must be changed by the nursing team after the bath. When the patient is discharged home, he is already without the dressing. It is also recommended to take a shower and use neutral liquid soap to wash the area of the surgery, in addition to drying the area with a clean towel and wearing clean clothes with buttons in front to facilitate the placement of the clothes;

Intimate contact : intimate contact should only reoccur after 60 days of cardiac surgery, since it can change the heartbeat;

General recommendations: it is prohibited in the postoperative period to make an effort, drive, carry weight, sleep on your stomach, smoke and consume alcoholic beverages. After surgery it is normal to have swollen legs, so it is recommended to take light walks daily and avoid sitting too long. When resting, it is advisable to rest your feet on the pillow and keep them elevated.

When you go back to the doctor

It is recommended to return to the cardiologist when one or more of the following symptoms appear:

Fever higher than 38ºC; Chest pain; Shortness of breath or dizziness; Sign of infection in the incisions (pus outlet); Legs that are very swollen or painful.

Cardiac surgery is a type of treatment for the heart that can be done to repair damage to the heart itself, the arteries connected to it, or to replace it. Cardiac surgery can be performed at any age, with a higher risk of complications in the elderly.

Types of Cardiac Surgery

There are several types of cardiac surgery that can be recommended by the cardiologist according to the person's symptoms, such as:

Myocardial revascularization, also known as bypass surgery - see how bypass surgery is performed; Correction of Valve Diseases such as repair or valve replacement; Correction of Aortic Artery Diseases; Correction of Congenital Heart Diseases; Cardiac Transplantation, in which the heart is replaced by another. Know when heart transplantation is performed, risks and complications; Heart Pacemaker Implant, which is a small device that has the function of regulating the heartbeat. Understand how the surgery is done to place the pacemaker.

Assisted minimally invasive cardiac surgery consists of making a cut on the side of the chest, of about 4 cm, which allows the entry of a mini device that can visualize and repair any damage to the heart. This cardiac surgery can be performed in case of congenital heart disease and coronary insufficiency (myocardial revascularization). The recovery time is reduced by 30 days, and the person can return to normal activities in 10 days, however this type of surgery is only performed in very selected cases.

Pediatric cardiac surgery

Cardiac surgery in babies, as well as in children, requires great caution and must be performed by specialized professionals and, sometimes, it is the best form of treatment to save the life of the child who is born with some cardiac malformation.