PATIENT CARE
DOES WINTHROP USE THE MOST ADVANCED SURGICAL PROCEDURES ?
YES. In addition to open heart surgery for coronary artery bypass and valve replacement, Winthrop's cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgeons are skilled in performing minimally invasive heart surgery, off-pump bypass surgery, MAZE procedures for atrial fibrillation, transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) laser therapy to boost blood supply to diseased left ventricles, complex aortic reconstruction and endovascular surgery. Your surgeon will determine which option is appropriate for you. Winthrop also offers ventricular assist devices (VAD) - a therapy specifically designed to treat profound ventricular failure and the related complications of end-organ failure.
WHO WILL KEEP MY FAMILY INFORMED ABOUT MY CONDITION?
During and after surgery, a cardiac nurse specialist will keep your family informed and make arrangements for them to speak to the surgeon after surgery.
Following surgery, after you are settled in the Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Unit, the nurse specialists will give your family reports of your progress daily. Before you leave the Hospital, the health care team, including nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, and unit nurses will speak to you and your family about discharge instructions and follow-up.
WHERE WILL MY INCISIONS BE?
The placement of your incisions will depend upon the type of surgery you have. For open heart coronary bypass surgery or valve replacement, the incision is placed in the middle of the chest. Coronary bypass surgery also involves an incision in the leg or arm in order to harvest the vessel to be used in the graft. Whenever possible, the surgeons use minimally invasive surgery for vein harvesting.
HOW LONG WILL MY SURGERY TAKE?
The length of the operation varies with each patient. However, it generally takes 4-6 hours from the time you enter the operating room.
HOW LONG WILL I BE IN THE HOSPITAL?
The length of hospitalization varies with the patient. However, most patients go home in about 4-5 days.
WHAT ACTIVITIES CAN I DO WHEN I GO HOME?
Try to ease into the activities you enjoyed before your surgery. Listen to your body. Do everything in moderation–not too much or too little. If you feel tired, rest.
It is important that you walk every day–outside or inside the house. Begin walking for 5 minutes about 3-5 times a day, and gradually increase the distance so you're walking for 20 minutes, if you feel up to it. You can walk stairs, but slowly. Winthrop's physical therapy team will outline guidelines for your post-operative exercise program.
A daily shower is important. Shower with warm water and mild soap, going over your incisions gently with a wash cloth.
You can be a passenger in the car. Use your seatbelt, but cushion it with a pillow on your chest.
WHAT SHOULD I NOT DO WHEN I GO HOME?
- DO NOT lift anything heavy.
- DO NOT drive, until the surgeon clears you (usually in 4-6 weeks).
- DO NOT engage in forceful movements, such as walking a dog that pulls on the leash.
WHAT MEDICATIONS WILL I BE TAKING?
On the day of discharge from the Hospital you will leave with prescriptions for medication prescribed by your surgeon. Most likely, you will leave the Hospital taking the same medications you took prior to surgery. As you heal and get stronger, your cardiologist may change the prescriptions, depending upon your medical condition.
CAN I SHOWER?
YES. It is very important to shower daily. Use, warm water and mild soap, washing your incisions gently with a wash cloth. It is important to keep the incisions clean and dry.
WHEN CAN I RESUME SEXUAL ACTIVITY?
You may resume sexual activity after you can walk two flights of stairs (about 14 steps) without being short of breath or feeling fatigued. Avoid positions that put pressure on your breast bone.
WHEN CAN I GO BACK TO WORK?
If you have a desk job, you may be able to return to work in 3-4 weeks. If you're involved in heavy labor, you may need to wait at least 8 weeks. Your physician will clear you to work. We recommend you start back slowly.
DO I HAVE A GOOD DOCTOR?
Winthrop-University Hospital's cardiac surgery program has been consistently ranked at the top in New York State by the Department of Health. All Winthrop cardiac surgeons are Board Certified, skilled, experienced, and at the forefront of their profession. Winthrop has been named one of the finest heart care institutions in America by HealthGrades®-the national healthcare quality experts. The HealthGrades® Distinguished Hospital Award places Winthrop among the top 5 percent of all acute-care hospitals in the country...an elite group that achieves notably high levels of performance across service lines, including cardiac services and coronary bypass surgery. This prestigious recognition further underscores the Hospital's reputation as a leading heart surgery center with exemplary patient outcomes.
