Blog

Recovering from surgery has many consequences and byproducts that are less than desirable for a patient. Of course, there is the pain to deal with, and the road to recovery may be a long one depending on the type of surgery that was necessary.  There is also the fact that the patient will need to rely on medical staff and family members for quite some time before being able to move around and function by themselves. While needing to rely on people is certainly an inconvenience, it’s not life-threatening or a medical issue. Sternal wound dehiscence, on the other hand, is a consequence that may occur that is viewed as more serious.

If you have cardiac or thoracic surgery planned in the near future, then you’re also going to have many questions concerning the procedure. What is the procedure going to be like? How long is the recovery time expected to be for a procedure like this? Your surgeon will be able to answer the majority of these questions, however, having never gone through the procedure themselves, it may prove difficult to explain how it feels to have a surgical wound.

There’s no more important time to stay in tune with your body than after heart surgery. It is essential to the recovery process that you note pain and discomfort. This is especially critical for the incision site and surrounding areas. There are many different things to watch for after your procedure. Along with these you may find it difficult to jump back into regular activities. Giving your body adequate time to heal and fully recover is extremely vital.

Some of the things patients experience after heart surgery are completely normal. They are just a part of the process and recovery. There may be issues that are abnormal after surgery. Reporting these to your doctor is important. In some cases, future visits or hospital stays may be necessary. The more attention you pay to what you are feeling and experiencing the better the aftermath will be.

Pay Attention to Pain

No one wants to have to undergo heart surgery. When this situation occurs, however, there are things that you can do to ensure that your recovery is complete. Each patient will have a different experience. This will relate to their initial condition, as well as, the complexity of their surgery. There are products that you can purchase that improve recovery. The Heart Hugger is one example of these products. It works to protect the sternum area.

There are a number of things that could occur in this area that can slow down recovery. In some instances these things could lead to more hospital treatment. Here are some of the things to watch for:

Experiencing pain after open heart surgery is unavoidable. Everyday activities such as getting dressed or getting in and out of a car become frustrating and exhausting. Not to mention these tasks put stress on the surgical wound site.

There are few options available to patients in the way of pain management. The first and most obvious are pain medications such as Oxycodone, Vicodin and Demerol. These types of medications are often used primarily for in-patient treatment. Once the patient is discharged, patients often have to rely on ibuprofen, Tylenol or Celebrex. These medications do come with side effects such as upset stomach, dizziness and ulcers to name a few.

Pain becomes a stark reality with those who’ve just gone through surgery, especially after going through cardiac and thoracic surgery.  Pain medication provides some relief, but not enough. Those unexpected sneezing fits can catch us by surprise and simple movements that we make throughout our everyday lives can prove to be a hindrance. Who knew that making the bed could hurt so badly? Or a simple act of sitting down on the couch could cause so much pain? This is hardly unexpected after one goes through major heart surgery.

This is where Heart Hugger comes into play. With the help of Heart Hugger, a patient’s pain can be reduced in many ways.

Below are just three ways of how Heart Hugger can help reduce the pain:

In 1984 when Mr. Glenn Williams was recuperating from cardiovascular bypass surgery, he discovered that the lack of sternum support while recovering caused needless pain while lengthening his time of recovery. Desiring to spare others from a similar experience, he went on to invent the HeartHugger™ Sternum Support harness.

Today, HeartHugger™ is part of the recovery process for CABG, Heart Valve replacement, and Thoracic surgery patients in more than 220 U.S. Hospitals and over 340 heart programs worldwide.

Patient Control

When patients are actively involved in their own medical care, they develop confidence and independence, which enhances their recovery. The sternum support harness offers patients full-time pain management at their fingertips.

Sternotomy and Thoracotomy patients generally have two goals during recovery.

Have you ever seen a picture of a person drawn by a child? Maybe you had the chance to appreciate the artwork of your own child or grandchild, or perhaps you remember doing such drawings yourself. No matter the little artist, it always seems like children draw people as mostly torso, with a head and limbs added almost as an afterthought. The focus is on the sternum, though the artists themselves don't yet think of it this way. If you're looking for sternum stabilization, it can often feel like you're the subject of a child's drawing--all the focus is, for awhile, on the sternum.

There’s not a more important time to stay in tune with your body than after heart surgery. It is essential to the recovery process that you note pain and discomfort. This is especially critical for the incision site and surrounding areas. There are many different things to watch for after your procedure. Along with these you may find it difficult to jump back into regular activities. Giving your body adequate time to heal and fully recover is extremely vital.

Some of the things patients experience after heart surgery are completely normal. They are just a part of the process and recovery. There may be issues that are abnormal after surgery. Reporting these to your doctor is important. In some cases, future visits or hospital stays may be necessary. The more attention you pay to what you are feeling and experiencing the better the aftermath will be.

Have you ever seen a picture of a person drawn by a child? Maybe you had the chance to appreciate the artwork of your own child or grandchild, or perhaps you remember doing such drawings yourself. No matter the little artist, it always seems like children draw people as mostly torso, with a head and limbs added almost as an afterthought. The focus is on the sternum, though the artists themselves don't yet think of it this way. If you're looking for sternum stabilization, it can often feel like you're the subject of a child's drawing--all the focus is, for awhile, on the sternum.