Heart Surgeries

Recently Answered

• QWhat is the recovery like for mitral valve replacement surgery?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A CTSurgeryPatients.org answered

  Recovery after mitral valve replacement surgery will likely require several days in the hospital, although the total length of time depends on the person's overall health as well as the specific procedure. Immediately after mitral valve surgery, people likely will have a tube in their throat so that breathing can be assisted by a ventilator. The tube will be removed once people are able to breathe completely on their own.
  
  Once people are home, it may be several more weeks until they are able to go back to work, depending on their job. Everyday activities such as driving and lifting heavy objects may be restricted for a period of time. Blood thinning medication may be prescribed for six weeks to three months after surgery if a biological valve was used and for life if a mechanical valve was used.
  
  After the wounds have healed, people should be able to get back to normal activities. People who have mitral valve surgery should always tell a doctor about the valve surgery before any medical procedure.This includes the dentist, as preventative antibiotics may be required when having dental work.
  
  This content originally appeared online in "The Patient Guide to Heart, Lung, and Esophageal Surgery" from the Society of Thoracic Surgery.
• QWhat is the recovery from CABG surgery like?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A CTSurgeryPatients.org answered

  As part of the recovery from coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and to reduce the risk of developing further blockages, the person should strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes regular exercise, eating healthy foods, weight loss, reducing stress, and quitting smoking.
  
  CABG surgery is a major operation, and the person should expect to be in the hospital for about a week after surgery. The hospital stay will likely include a day or two in the intensive care unit (ICU) where hospital staff can monitor blood pressure, breathing, and other vital signs. The person also will have a breathing tube for a few hours or possibly overnight, so communication will be difficult. The breathing tube will be removed as soon as the person is awake and able to breathe on his or her own.
  
  If in-hospital recovery goes as expected, discharge should be within a week. This is just the start of recovery though. Even after going home, people likely will find it difficult to perform everyday tasks or even walk a short distance. The full recovery period is about 12 to 15 weeks. In most cases, people can return to work, begin exercising, and resume sexual activity after 6 weeks, but the doctor will discuss a personalized recovery plan following surgery.
  
  This content originally appeared online in "The Patient Guide to Heart, Lung, and Esophageal Surgery" from the Society of Thoracic Surgery.
• QWhat's the recovery like after aortic valve surgery?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A CTSurgeryPatients.org answered

  Recovery after aortic valve surgery may require several days in the hospital. Immediately after aortic valve surgery, people likely will have a tube in their throat so breathing can be assisted by a ventilator.
  
  The tube will be removed once people are able to breathe completely on their own. This usually happens within a few hours, but the cardiothoracic surgeon will determine when it is safe to do so. People should anticipate spending several days, but likely not more than a week, recovering in the hospital, although the total length of time depends on overall health, as well as the specific procedure.
  
  Once people are home, it may be several more weeks until they are able to go back to work, depending on their job. Everyday activities such as driving and lifting heavy objects may be restricted for a period of time.
  
  Blood thinning medication may be prescribed for six weeks to three months after surgery, but the need for this medication will be determined by the doctor.
  
  After the wounds have healed, people should be able to get back to normal activities. People who have aortic valve surgery should always tell a doctor about the valve surgery before any medical procedure. In particular, they may require preventative antibiotics when having dental work.
  
  This content originally appeared online in "The Patient Guide to Heart, Lung, and Esophageal Surgery" from the Society of Thoracic Surgery.
• QWhat is my pneumonia risk after CABG surgery if I had a blood transfusion?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered

  People who receive red blood cell transfusions during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery are at an increased risk of developing pneumonia. Pneumonia is a known risk following CABG surgery, and developing it has been shown to significantly increase a person’s risk of morbidity and mortality. Previous research has shown that one in every 20 people who have CABG develops a major infection, with pneumonia being the most common type of infection.
  
  Researchers examined data on 16,182 people who underwent CABG surgery and found a significant association between red blood cell transfusion and the occurrence of pneumonia. They also found that the risk of developing pneumonia increased with the volume of red blood cells transfused. Results showed that people receiving one or two units of red blood cells had double the odds of developing pneumonia compared to people not receiving transfusion, while those who received six units or more of red blood cells had 14-fold increased odds of developing pneumonia.
  
  The ability to store and transfuse blood is one of medicine's greatest accomplishments, but doctors are continuing to see that receiving a blood transfusion may alter a person's ability to fight infection. Doctors must remain vigilant for the onset of pneumonia and initiate therapy early in hopes of shortening its course and severity. They can also initiate preventive therapies in people who have been transfused.
• QWhy do I need surgery for mitral valve disease if I have no symptoms?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answered

  People who are diagnosed with severe mitral valve regurgitation should seek surgical consultation sooner rather than later, even if they are not having any symptoms. This is because research has shown that a more aggressive approach to treating degenerative mitral valve disease, using earlier surgical intervention and less invasive techniques, is more beneficial to people than “watchful waiting.”
  
  Researchers assessed trends in the characteristics of people with degenerative mitral valve disease, timing of intervention and surgical techniques for mitral valve regurgitation. They found that improved technology and earlier intervention have led to more people benefitting from less invasive surgical repair before suffering from disease symptoms, such as atrial fibrillation (irregular, often rapid heart rate) or heart failure.
  
  The researchers found that people who were treated in the latter years of the study (2005-2011) were released from the hospital about two days sooner than those treated in the earliest years of the study (1985-1997). Two main reasons for the shortened stay were fewer full sternotomies (large chest incisions) -- 25% in the latter years vs. 93% in the earliest years -- and more people were asymptomatic -- 44% in the latter years vs. 25% in the earliest years.
  
  Mortality rates have remained extremely low and hospital length of stay shortened for mitral valve repair. 
• QHow do surgeons prepare for heart valve surgery?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Omid Hajiseyed Javadi, MD , Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular), answered on behalf of Good Samaritan Hospital

  

  Watch as thoracic surgeon Omid Javadi, MD, of Good Samaritan Hospital, offers an inside look at the steps surgeons to take before performing heart valve surgery. 

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  How Do Surgeons Prepare for Heart Valve Surgery?
  Buy DVD
• QWhy are tricuspid valve surgeries becoming more frequent?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Omid Hajiseyed Javadi, MD , Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular), answered on behalf of Good Samaritan Hospital

  

  Can repairing one valve lead to problems with another? Thoracic surgeon Omid Javadi, MD, of Good Samaritan Hospital, discusses why the tricuspid valve has garnered more attention over the past few years.

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  Why Are Tricuspid Valve Surgeries Becoming More Frequent?
  Buy DVD
• QWhy do children receive pulmonic valve surgery more than adults?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Omid Hajiseyed Javadi, MD , Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular), answered on behalf of Good Samaritan Hospital

  

  Certain valve problems tend to be a congenital in nature. In this video, thoracic surgeon Omid Javadi, MD, of Good Samaritan Hospital, discusses when children may require surgery, along with the long-term prognosis for young patients.

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  Why Do Children Receive Pulmonic Valve Surgery More Than Adults?
  Buy DVD
• QWhat happens during cardiac bypass surgery?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Dr. Joanna Y. Chikwe, MD , Vascular Surgery, answered on behalf of The Mount Sinai Health System

  Cardiac bypass surgery begins once the anesthesiologist puts you to sleep, and has placed monitoring lines in your wrists and neck, as well as an echo probe in your throat to monitor your heart.

  The aim of surgery is to treats severe blockages in coronary arteries - these are the blood vessels that supply your heart with blood. That's why it's more commonly known as "Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting—or CABG, (pronounced like cabbage, for short)". Coronary blockages can also be treated less invasively with coronary stents, but in certain people with multiple, very complex blockages bypass surgery seems to give better results.

  Your heart is closely monitored throughout the procedure. The surgeon will make an incision, usually about 5 to 6 inches in length down the middle of your chest, to get access to the heart. The surgeon "bypasses" the blocked coronary arteries using blood vessels taken from the chest wall and the legs, and sometimes the arms. These vessels are hand sewn to each coronary artery just beyond the worst blockage, and then to the aorta (the largest blood vessel in the body). The operation lasts around 3 hours. There will be up to 8 people in the room including anesthesiologists, surgeons, surgical assistants, nurses and the perfusionist.

  In most cases the vessels can be harvested using keyhole incisions, and in a few cases the coronary bypass operation can be done through a 2 - 3 inch incision under the breast. The surgery can be done with a heart-lung bypass machine which is run by the perfusionist ("on-pump"), or without ("off-pump"). Both techniques have advantages and a few disadvantages—it's important to tailor the choice of technique to each individual.

  After surgery you will most likely stay sedated for a few hours on the intensive care unit. A ventilator will do the breathing for you, until you are ready to breath on your own. Around 4 to 6 hours after the end of surgery most people are awake enough to have their breathing tube removed, and usually by the next morning it's time to get out of bed and have breakfast.   

  See All 2 Answers
• QWhat should I ask my doctor if I'm considering transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. William M. Suh, MD , Internal Medicine, answered on behalf of UCLA Health

  If you are considering transcatheter valve replacement (TAVR), you need to make sure that you’re an appropriate candidate for TAVR. Currently, this procedure is intended for people who are either inoperable or at high risk. For those people who aren’t in those two groups, surgery is still the gold standard for treatment. Therefore, you need to ask your doctor whether or not an open aortic valve replacement is the best option for you.