Heart Surgery: The Day of Your Surgery
Heart Surgery: The Day of Your SurgeryIt is finally here. The day of your heart surgery. To be completely prepared for your surgery your Cardiac careteam will give you a list of instructions to follow. Here are some examples. The morning of your surgery,shower and shampoo thoroughly with Antibacterial soap. This will kill any bacteria on your skin and reduce thechance of infection. Don’t eat or drink anything the morning of your surgery. If your mouth is dry, you can rinseit with water but make sure you spit it out.If you have been told you can take some of your medications the morning of your surgery, take them with asmall sip of water. Only take the medications that your Cardiac care team has said is safe to take before yoursurgery. Do not take Anticoagulant medications such as Warfarin. Be sure to ask your doctor about when youshould stop your anticoagulant before going to the hospital.When you arrive at the hospital you will register and be taken to a pre-op room to get prepared for yoursurgery. You’ll change into a hospital gown when you arrive at the hospital. Remove any personal items likeyour glasses, contact lenses or dentures and give them to your family member for safe keeping.At this point a member of your Cardiac care team will prepare your surgical site. An IV will be started to giveyour body fluids, medications and anesthesia during surgery. As with any surgery, there are risks. Make sureyou understand them. If you have any concerns, ask. Your Cardiac care team wants you to feel comfortable intheir care. If you haven’t already done so, tell your care team about any allergies to food, medications, testdyes, or latex you may have, as well as any vision or hearing problems.Once you are comfortable you will be asked to sign a consent form and then taken to the operating room.Heart surgeries usually last from 3 to 6 hours depending on the damage your Cardiac care team needs torepair. Once your surgery is finished, your cardiac care team will let your family know how you are doing andyou will move to Intensive Care.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCHA10173B EN HeartSurgeryTheDayOfYourSurgery.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 1
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