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Top 5 Tips to Prepare for Heart Surgery

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Top 5 Tips to Prepare for Heart Surgery

You want to be prepared for the six to eight-week process after heart surgery. As the patient, if you are properly prepared you can help to speed up your cardiac surgery rehabilitation process. Below are five tips to help in your preparations.

1. Coordinate Your Helpers

If you have just returned home from the hospital after having CABG surgery, you may need help. You may not be able to perform simple day-to-day activities, such as driving, shopping, or cleaning. Moreover, you may need emotional support as well.

Compile a list of individuals who are willing to help you and try to secure two primary individuals to take care of most of your needs, as well as monitor the number of visitors who come to see you.

Here are the things you can ask your helpers or caregivers to help you with: 

Pain After Sternotomy

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Pain After Sternotomy

Are you experiencing poststernotomy pain? Study results show that pain after sternotomy is more than just nerve damage.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can include sternal pain, involving the muscles, skeletal components of the head and neck, the trunk and other upper extremities. It doesn't make sense that simply cutting a nerve in the area of the sternum is causing all of these symptoms.

Almost a third of patients deal with persistent pain after sternotomy. This pain is often in areas unrelated to the surgical incision in the chest area (like the neck, shoulders, arms and back).

Dr. Van Leersum decided to conduct physical examinations of patients who had undergone procedures related to open heart surgery. She examined 277 patients, investigating the muscles in every inch of the body. In her study, she uncovered that:

Common Effects of Heart Surgery

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Common Effects of Heart Surgery

With heart surgery each patient responds differently. However, there are side effects that are typical after this surgery, while there are side effects that aren’t so typical. It is extremely important that patients are aware of the differences between certain side effects that are expected, and ones that need immediate attention.

Normal side effects:

  • Mood swings
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sleepless nights
  • Muscle pain or tightness

Side effects that need immediate attention:

Start the Recovery Process after Heart Surgery

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Start the Recovery Process after Heart Surgery

Each year millions of people around the world undergo some sort of heart surgery. The recovery period for these procedures is based on a number of things. They type of surgery itself will play a role in recovery. Along with this is the need to pay strict attention to doctor’s instructions. Your incision is a focal point in this process. Taking care of the incision point is very important. These are some of the steps for incision care:

  • Clean and Dry Wound
  • Use Only Soap and Water
  • Maintain a Healthy Diet
  • Protect Incision Site

Heart Hugger is a fine example of a support product for the sternum. This is a useful product that can help patients after their heart surgeries. It is strategic when it comes to protecting the incision site. Each of the steps for securing this site is a part of the recovery process. Let’s take a look at some other things to consider in this area.

Watch for Infection

Things to Remember Following Heart Surgery

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After Heart Surgery checkup

Recovery for a patient that just went through heart surgery becomes very important, as it is the way to get back to normal following the procedure. Having heart surgery is a necessity that one must face in order to get healthy, and the postoperative recovery time is an important thing to keep in mind following a major surgery. Since it is unavoidable, it is in the patient’s best interest to make the recovery period as smooth as possible. This is done by sticking to the doctor’s orders as well as avoiding any unnecessary complications.

The Benefits of Using Heart Hugger

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The Benefits of Using Heart Hugger

There are many different options to choose from when thinking about postoperative recovery and sternal support. This is especially true when a complex procedure like open heart surgery is involved. You will want to know that you’re being placed in the best care possible and know that your recovery is on track to be as smooth as possible. After all, you’re trying to get back to normal the quickest way you can. There are a few different ways to go about postoperative chest support when recovering from heart surgery, the easiest and most beneficial way is to employ the help of the Heart Hugger.

Things to Remember Following Heart Surgery

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Things to Remember Following Heart Surgery

Recovery for a patient that just went through heart surgery becomes very important, as it is the way to get back to normal following the procedure. Having heart surgery is a necessity that one must face in order to get healthy, and the postoperative recovery time is an important thing to keep in mind following a major surgery. Since it is unavoidable, it is in the patient’s best interest to make the recovery period as smooth as possible. This is done by sticking to the doctor’s orders as well as avoiding any unnecessary complications.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 51st Annual Meeting

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 51st Annual Meeting

We're excited to be exhibiting at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons 51st Annual Meeting in San Diego, California. Ready to see how Heart Hugger can help your patients recover faster from thoracic surgery? Have questions about how to use or order Heart Hugger? Maybe you've heard that Heart Hugger and the Surgi Support Vest has helped patients become more mobile and compliant with their therapy after surgery?

What to Expect During Heart Surgery Recovery

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What to Expect During Heart Surgery Recovery

Open heart surgery is a stressful undertaking from beginning to end. However, knowing what to expect every step of the way can make things easier and more comfortable--so today, we're going to explore the recovery process (and all that goes with it).

The Recovery Process

Recovering from open-heart surgery isn't a straight path, and it looks a little different for everyone. Your doctor will fill you in on specific details and recommendations--but what about the day-to-day questions and uncertainties? Luckily, with a little help--and all the right information, of course--recovery can be easy, comfortable, and quick.

Here are a few things you can expect when recovering from open-heart surgery!

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