The Day of your Surgery Waterbury Hospital The Morning of Surgery You will be asked to undress and put on a hospital gown.A member of the operating room team will come to your room and start preparing you for your surgery. Your and groin area will be shaved or clipped of any hair. Your nurse may give you medication to help you relax. Soon you will be taken to the operating room (OR) and your family will be directed to the waiting room. When you have arrived in the OR, the anesthesiologist will insert special intravenous (IV) lines to monitor your condition during the surgery. The lines will be inserted in the veins of your arm and neck.
During Surgery
The anesthesiologist will give you medication to put you to sleep for the surgery. You will not be aware of your surroundings, feel any pain, or recall anything about the experience. The anesthesiologist will check your condition continuously through out the procedure. There will be many people in the operating room dedicated only to your safety and comfort. You will be in good hands.
Once you are asleep, the anesthesiologist will place a tube in your mouth and throat.The tube is connected to a respirator to help you breathe during and immediately after the surgery. Your surgeon will then perform the operation. Several tubes and wires will be placed in your chest during the surgery, and will remain there after you wake up. Your incision line will be closed with sutures and a large bandage will cover it.
The length of time required for your operation will depend on your specific surgery. An average time is 2-4 hours. Your family/friend will be made comfortable in our waiting area and a volunteer may be available to assist them with any needs. Your nurse will keep them informed of your condition and surgery. Admission to the CVU Immediately After Surgery
When your surgery is finished, you will be taken back to your room in the CVU.The surgeon will meet with your family/friends to let them know how you are doing and to answer their questions. We will ask them to remain in the waiting room. During this time, your care team will be getting you settled in your room. They will be connecting you to the monitors, taking blood tests, performing a chest X-ray, doing an electrocardiogram, and assessing your condition. There will be several care team members in your room taking good care of you. Once settled, your family/friends will be able to have a brief visit with you.
When you wake up from the anesthesia, you will be aware of many IV lines, tubes and drains.These are routine measures for open-heart surgeries and do not mean there is a problem. The first thing you will notice is the tube in your mouth and throat. Although this tube is somewhat uncomfortable, it is critical during the surgery and early recovery phase. The tube is connected to a respirator to help you breathe until you are fully awake and able to breathe on your own. While the tube is in place, you will not be able to speak. You can communicate with the nurses through gestures or written notes. In addition, you will not be able to eat or drink anything. The nurses will moisten your mouth to make you more comfortable. Because you may accidentally pull at this tube as you are waking up from the anesthesia, your hands may be secured loosely at your sides. The tube will be removed when you are fully awake and able to breathe and cough on your own.
Once the breathing tube is removed, you will begin the deep breathing exercises, using the device shown to you before surgery.It is important to do these exercises to prevent collapse of the tiny air sacs in your lungs and help prevent pneumonia. You will be encouraged to cough in order to clear the mucous in your lungs. Holding the heart pillow against your incision when coughing will support your chest and lessen the discomfort. Gradually your oxygen requirements will decrease and any additional oxygen will be removed.
You will be connected to a heart monitor during your entire recovery.This will show your care team a constant view of your heart rate and rhythm.
You will have several special IV lines to monitor your condition during and after surgery.The IV lines allow the nurses to perform tests and determine how well your heart is working after your surgery. They provide a constant display of your blood pressure, and allow blood to be drawn without sticking you with a needle. These lines will be removed as soon as they are no longer necessary.
Two thin wires were placed in your chest during surgery.These are pacemaker wires and can be connected to a pacemaker, if needed, during your recovery. They will be taken out before you go home.
You will also notice several tubes have been put in your body to drain fluids from your chest, stomach, and bladder.The chest tubes take away excess blood, fluid, or air from around your heart and lungs. They will be removed when the drainage has decreased, usually the day after surgery. A small tube will be in your nose down into your stomach. This tube will help prevent any nausea or vomiting and will be removed shortly after the breathing tube. A urine drainage tube (also called a Foley® catheter) will be in your bladder. Although it is continuously draining urine, the catheter may give you the feeling that you have to urinate. Again, this tube will be taken out soon after surgery. Removal of these tubes may be uncomfortable but your nurse will prepare you in advance and give you pain medication if necessary
Your incision(s) will depend on your type of surgery.Most open-heart patients will have an incision from the top to the bottom of their breastbone. You will experience discomfort, with soreness, tenderness, and numbness at the cut lines. You will notice this pain will increase when taking deep breaths, coughing, and moving around. Because theses activities are extremely important to your recovery, your nurse will provide pain medication to make you as comfortable as possible. Please, if you are in pain, tell your nurse.
During this "intensive care" phase, the care team performs many activities to ensure your recovery.Frequent visitors or phone calls can be very tiring and interfere with your healing. For this reason, we ask that visits from your family/friends be brief. As your condition improves, visiting times will be adjusted accordingly. Family and friends are an important part of our team and as soon as your condition permits, we will be including them in your ongoing recuperation.
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