Strong Heart and Vascular Center
Division of Cardiac Surgery
Patient Education
Before Heart Surgery - What to Expect
You will receive medication that will make you feel sleepy and will make your mouth dry. This medication is given to prepare you for anesthesia. Once you have received this medication, stay in bed. The nurse will put up the side rails on your bed to remind you that you must stay there. You will then be moved into the pre-anesthesia area.
If your surgery is scheduled for the afternoon, you may wait for approximately 60-90 minutes in the pre-anesthesia area until your operating room is ready. The anesthesiologist will insert an intravenous line (IV) so that you can receive medications and fluids during your surgery. An IV will also be placed in an artery in your wrist to monitor your blood pressure.
After you have been given anesthesia in the operating room, an IV will be placed in your neck to measure your heart pressure during surgery, a catheter will be inserted into your bladder. The purpose of the catheter is to drain urine from your bladder during surgery and for the first day following surgery.
After all the necessary IVs and tubes are inserted, your surgery will be performed.
While you are in the operating room, your family members can wait in the family waiting room on the first floor (RM # 1-1200) next to the main lobby. Your family should check in with the receptionist. They will receive two phone calls; one when the surgery begins and one when it is finished.
Usually the surgery lasts from four to six hours, but this varies among patients. Your family should not be alarmed if your surgery takes more or less time. Your surgeon will call and notify your family when your surgery is over.