Healthopedia.com - Open Heart Surgery: Preparation & Expectations (Intracardiac Surgery)

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You are here : Healthopedia.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Surgeries and Procedures > Open Heart Surgery: Preparation & Expectations
Category : Health Centers > Heart Diseases

Open Heart Surgery

Alternate Names : Intracardiac Surgery

Open Heart Surgery | Preparation & Expectations | Home Care and Complications | Attribution

What happens right after the procedure?

After the surgery, the person generally will spend at least an hour in the recovery room until the anesthesia has worn off. Occasionally, the person is taken right to the intensive care unit for recovery from anesthesia. Once a person can breathe on his or her own, the ventilator is turned off. The person then must stay in the hospital at least a few days to recover. Pain medications are given to relieve pain. The person will be assisted out of bed for increasingly longer periods, beginning 24-48 hours after surgery. This early activity helps to prevent post operative problems such as deep venous thrombosis and pneumonia.

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Open Heart Surgery: Overview & Description		Open Heart Surgery: Home Care and Complications

Author: Adam Brochert, MD
Reviewer: Gail Hendrickson, RN, BS
Date Reviewed: 07/24/01

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Page Last Updated: 30th May, 2006