What happens when I come in?

Before you come in

You will have had investigations that confirm you need surgery on your heart. Before surgery, you will have to stay for a short while on a hospital ward.

While waiting, you will be seen every day by your surgical team. This will generally be in the morning on the doctor's rounds. These visits will be brief, unless your condition changes.

Nursing staff will need to assess whether you are fit enough to undergo the anaesthetic necessary for cardiac surgery. Remember to tell them every time you have chest pain, as they will need to report this to the doctors.

On the day of surgery

On the day of the operation you will not be allowed to eat or drink. You will need to take a bath or shower in antibacterial soap and shampoo.

You will be given in injection and tablets to help you relax. This may make you feel sleepy. You will then be taken to the theatre on a trolley.

Afterwards

Following the operation you will be taken to either Cardiac Intensive Care or Cardiac High Care, where you will stay for at least one night.

On the first day after the operation you will be monitored carefully by the nursing staff. Machines will be attached to you to record your blood pressure, pulse and oxygen levels.

A physiotherapist will help you get out of bed and encourage you with deep breathing exercises. It is expected that you will be transferred to a ward during the day.

On the second day after the operation, the physiotherapist will help you increase how far you can walk. You will probably have some more checks – a chest x-ray and a blood test – to make sure everything is progressing well.

Over the next few days and until you leave hospital, you will be continually checked. Physiotherapists will help you increase your mobility and you should be able to eat and drink normally.

Going home

Before you leave hospital any medicine you need will be ordered and given to you. Make sure there is someone at home with you for the first couple of weeks after the operation, particularly at night. They may need to do jobs around the house such as cooking and cleaning.

This is just a brief outline of what will happen. When you come in for the operation, you and your family will be given leaflets to take away and read and you will be given plenty of chances to ask questions about your treatment.