Recovering After Heart Surgery: Care at Home (Part 1)

Proper care after heart surgery will result in a shorter recovery time. Here are some guidelines for care after leaving the hospital.

Care of the Incision

Instructions on care for the incision will be given prior to leaving the hospital. Considerations to be aware of include:

• Keep the incision clean and dry.
• The incision can be gently washed (don’t rub) with soap. Do not use creams or lotions on incisions until they are healed.
• Sometimes a swelling or lump appears at the top of the chest incision, and can take several months to disappear.
• If the incision is healing and dry, quick showers (no longer than 10 minutes) are usually allowed. If there are sutures in the chest, stand with back to the shower spray.
• If showers are not available, quick baths (limited to 10 minutes) may be taken.  Also: Avoid extreme hot or cold water temperatures, as they can cause faintness.

Pain Relief

At first, there may be some muscle or incision discomfort in the chest area during activity, but there should not be pain in the chest similar to the pain before surgery.

• A prescription for a pain medication will be given before leaving the hospital.
• Itching, tightness and/or numbness along the incision are normal after surgery.
• If the surgery was bypass surgery, and if vein grafts from the legs were used, there may be more pain in the legs than around the chest incision.
• Walking, daily activities, and time will help to lessen leg discomfort and stiffness.

Swelling

It is possible to return home with some swelling in the legs and feet, especially if vein graphs were taken from the legs. If there is swelling:

• Place feet up higher than heart level when resting. Try this three times a day for one hour to relieve swelling. (Note: recliners do not adequately elevate feet.)
• Walk daily even if legs are swollen.
• Hospital support hose may be suggested.
• Do not cross legs while lying in bed or sitting. This puts pressure on the veins under the knees and slows blood flow.

If you need help adjusting to the transition to home, don't forget that you can ask for help!  Companies like American Companion Care can provide anything from a couple hours of help to 24/7 companion care until you are back on your feet.

If you need help determining your care needs or would like an opinion of a certified geriatric care manager, we are happy to provide a free consultation and home care assessment.