Heart Valve Surgery: Before Your Surgery

What is heart valve surgery?

Heart valve surgery repairs or replaces a damaged heart valve. There are four valves in your heart. They are the mitral, aortic, tricuspid, and pulmonary valves. These valves open and close to keep blood flowing in the proper direction through your heart. When the heart valves don't close as they should or are very tight and narrow, blood doesn't flow through the heart the right way.

The most common way to do heart valve surgery is through a large cut, called an incision, in the chest. This is called open-chest surgery. During the surgery, a heart-lung bypass machine is used. It adds oxygen to the blood and moves the blood through the body. This machine will allow the doctor to stop your heartbeat while working on your heart.

In some cases, other types of heart valve surgery may be an option. These include surgery that is done without stopping the heart and surgery that is done through smaller incisions in the chest.

You may stay in the hospital for a few days after surgery. You will probably be able to do many of your usual activities after 4 to 6 weeks. But for 2 to 3 months you will not be able to lift heavy objects or do activities that strain your chest or upper arm muscles.

After you recover, you will probably feel better than you did before you had the surgery. For example, you may no longer have shortness of breath and fatigue. But you may still have heart problems.

What happens on the day of surgery?

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  Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your surgery may be canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
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  Take a bath or shower before you come in for your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
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  Do not shave the surgical site yourself.
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  Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.

At the hospital or surgery center

• Bring a picture ID.
• You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. You will be asleep during the surgery.
• The surgery will take about 3 to 5 hours.
• You will go to the intensive care unit (ICU) right after surgery. You will probably stay in the ICU for 1 or 2 days before you go to your regular hospital room.
• You will have a breathing tube down your throat. This is usually removed within 6 hours after surgery. You will not be able to talk or drink liquids while the tube is in your throat. After the tube is removed, your throat will feel dry and scratchy. Your nurse will tell you when it is safe to drink liquids again.
• As you wake up in the ICU, the nurse will check to be sure you are stable and comfortable. It is important for you to tell your doctor and nurse how you feel and ask questions about any concerns you may have.
• You will have a thin plastic tube, called a catheter, in a vein in your neck. It is used to keep track of how well your heart is working. This is usually removed in 1 to 3 days.
• You will also have a catheter in an artery in your arm. It is used to check your blood pressure and take blood samples.
• You will have chest tubes to drain fluid and blood after surgery. The fluid and extra blood are normal and usually last for only a few days. The chest tubes are usually removed in 1 or 2 days.
• You will have several thin wires coming out of your chest near your incision. These wires can help keep your heartbeat steady after surgery. They will be removed before you go home.
• You will have a tube that drains urine from your bladder. This is called a urinary catheter. It is usually removed within 1 day.
• You may have a thin plastic tube in your nose that goes down the back of your throat into your stomach. It will drain stomach juices. It is usually removed in the days after surgery.