You had minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery on 1 or more of your coronary arteries. Your doctor used an artery from your chest to create a detour, or bypass, around arteries that were blocked and could not bring blood to your heart. A 3- to 5-inch-long incision (cut) was made in the left part of your chest between your ribs. This allowed your doctor to reach your heart.
You may be able to leave the hospital 2 or 3 days after surgery. You may also be able to return to normal activities after 2 or 3 weeks.
After surgery, it is normal to:
You may want to have someone stay with you in your home for the first week.
Learn how to check your pulse, and check it every day. Do the breathing exercises you learned in the hospital for the first 1 to 2 weeks.
Weigh yourself every day. Shower every day, washing your incision gently with soap and water. Do NOT swim, soak in a hot tub, or take baths until your incision is completely healed. Follow a heart-healthy diet.
If you are feeling depressed, talk with your family and friends. Ask your doctor about getting help from a counselor.
Continue to take all your medicines for your heart, diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other conditions you have.
Know how to respond to angina symptoms.
See also:
Stay active during your recovery, but be sure to start slowly.
Be careful how you use your arms and upper body when you move around for the first 2 or 3 weeks after your surgery. Ask your doctor when you may return to work. For the first week after surgery:
Call your doctor if:
Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass - discharge; MIDCAB - discharge; Robot assisted coronary artery bypass - discharge; RACAB - discharge; Keyhole heart surgery - discharge
Aziz O, Rao C, Panesar SS, Jones C, Morris S, Darzi A, et al. Meta-analysis of minimally invasive internal thoracic artery bypass versus percutaneous revascularisation for isolated lesions of the left anterior descending artery. BMJ. 2007;334:617.
Ferraris VA, Mentzer RM Jr. Acquired heart disease: coronary insufficiency. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 61.
Fraker TD Jr, Fihn SD, Gibbons RJ, Abrams J, Chatterjee K, Daley J, et al. 2007 chronic angina focused update of the ACC/AHA 2002 Guidelines for the management of patients with chronic stable angina: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines Writing Group to develop the focused update of the 2002 Guidelines for the management of patients with chronic stable angina. Circulation. 2007 Dec 4;116(23):2762-72. Epub 2007 Nov 12.
Updated by: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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