Open Heart Surgery

What happens right after the procedure?

After the surgery, the person generally will spend at least an hour in the recovery room until the anesthesia has worn off. Occasionally, the person is taken right to the intensive care unit for recovery from anesthesia. Once a person can breathe on his or her own, the ventilator is turned off. The person then must stay in the hospital at least a few days to recover. Pain medications are given to relieve pain. The person will be assisted out of bed for increasingly longer periods, beginning 24-48 hours after surgery. This early activity helps to prevent post operative problems such as deep venous thrombosis and pneumonia.