Open heart surgery is an operation in which the surgeon opens the chest to reach the heart and repair a problem in its arteries, valves or walls, including some congenital defects. Its aim is to improve blood flow and heart function, depending on the condition identified by the treating team.
The operation is done under general anaesthesia, and the chest is usually opened through a vertical cut in the breastbone. In many cases the heart is stopped temporarily and a heart-lung machine pumps the blood, and once the repair is complete the breastbone is closed with medical wires.
Surgery usually takes several hours, followed by a stay in intensive care and then on the ward for several days. Recovery generally takes six to twelve weeks, with limits on exertion and lifting, and the full benefit appears gradually over several months, depending on each patient's condition.
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It may improve blood flow to the heart or valve function, or repair a defect in the heart's structure, easing symptoms such as breathlessness and chest pain. The benefit varies with the condition, so no specific result can be promised, and the treating team assesses this.
A patient whose heart condition needs surgical repair after assessment by the treating team, based on tests, imaging, general health and other medical conditions. Not every heart patient needs surgery.
Blood tests, an electrocardiogram and an ultrasound of the heart are done, and catheter angiography or a CT scan may be needed. Tell the doctor about all your medicines and do not stop any, including blood thinners, unless instructed. Stopping smoking and following the fasting instructions are advised.
Under general anaesthesia the chest is opened through the breastbone and the necessary repair is made in the heart, often with a heart-lung machine, after which the chest is closed and temporary drainage tubes are left in place.
You do not feel the operation because it is done under general anaesthesia. Afterwards there is chest pain, eased by regularly given painkillers, which gradually lessens over a few weeks.
Patients spend days in intensive care and then on the ward, and continue recovering at home for several weeks. Heavy lifting and strenuous effort are avoided until the breastbone heals, and a cardiac rehabilitation programme under the team's supervision is advised.
Many patients feel better within weeks or months. The result lasts to varying degrees depending on lifestyle, adherence to medication and follow-up, and no specific duration can be guaranteed.
They include bleeding, infection of the wound or breastbone, heart rhythm disturbances, blood clots or stroke, kidney or lung problems and, rarely, death. Risks rise with age and chronic illness, and the doctor explains them for each case.
Yes, a vertical scar usually remains in the middle of the chest; it fades over time but does not disappear completely. Small scars may also remain where the drainage tubes were.
The timing depends on the condition of the heart and the course of recovery, and it is usually not before several weeks have passed and the treating team has agreed. It is also usually advised to stay near the treating centre for a period after discharge to complete follow-up.
