Most patients complain of being sore but do not have severe pain. This soreness originates from the surgical incisions and muscle spasms. It can be helped by good posture and frequent movement of the arms and shoulders. If the pain is severe, medication may be obtained from the nurse upon request.
What about the healing of the incisions?
You can keep the incisions clean by washing them gently in your daily bath or shower. If you find excess swelling, redness, oozing or tenderness, call your doctor. About six weeks are required for complete healing of these wounds. External stitches are removed about 2 weeks from the day of surgery.
What can i look forward to after the operation?
As your recovery progresses, you will be able to appreciate more fully the effects of the surgery. The increased blood flow through your coronary arteries would mean less angina or none at all. You may find you need much less medication, if any, and that you are able to sustain physical activity and exercise with a greater capacity. In addition to feeling better, there is also a chance that your surgery may prolong your life.
About Valve Surgery
What are heart valves?
The heart is a pump made of muscle tissue. It has four pumping chambers: two upper chambers, called atria, and two lower chambers, called ventricles. The right atrium pumps blood into the right ventricle, which then pumps blood into the lungs where carbon dioxide is given off and oxygen is taken into the blood. From the lungs, blood flows back into the left atrium, is pumped into the left ventricle, then is pumped through the aorta out to the rest of the body. There are four valves in your heart, made of thin flaps of tissue that open and close as your heart pumps. They are there to make sure that blood flows through your heart in only one way
How are the valves damaged?
There are many diseases that can damage heart valves. Common ones are:
These can result in two types of problems:
Know Your Heart
