Risks Associated with Heart Surgery
As with any other surgical procedure, there is a degree of risk. The majority of patients undergoing heart surgery have successful procedure and recover with little difficulty. A few will have minor problems and a small proportion will have a more challenging recovery.
Chest Infections
This is not uncommon after major heart surgery. The infection can be so mild, you may not even notice. Some patients experience some shortness of breath and a slight fever. Physiotherapy or antibiotics can be used as treatment. Chest infections usually resolve a few days after the operation.
Irregular Heartbeats (Atrial Fibrillation)
Some patients may experience palpitations at some stage after their operation. Patients may feel as if their heart is racing or pounding. If drugs do not work after a few days, we may consider another form of electrophysiology treatment. Irregular Heartbeats are more common in older patients, patients who have had a previous heart attack and patients who have had surgery on their Mitral valve (valve which lies between the left atrium and left ventricle).
Nausea
This is very common after surgery and at worst, it can last for 2-3 days.
Bleeding
Some degree of bleeding after heart surgery is inevitable. Patients usually bleed between 300-1500 mls in the first twelve hours. If bleeding is excessive, we return the patient to the operating theatre to remove any blood clots that may be preventing the heart from beating efficiently.
CABG
3%
Aortic Valve Surgery
3-5%
Mitral Valve Surgery
6%
Major Aortic Surgery
10%
TYPES OF OPERATIONS
% OF PATIENTS WHO RETURN FOR BLEEDING
(UK Based Statistics)
Kidney Failure
The kidneys excrete the body’s toxic waste products. If they are failing or not functioning properly, the level of toxins in the blood rises. Any operation will disturb the kidney’s sensitive mechanisms for a while. If the kidneys function is temporarily severely affected then a dialysis unit may be utilised in the Coronary Care Unit during recovery.
Wound Infections
Minor wound infections are common following coronary surgery. However, chest wound infections must be treated very seriously as this type of infection can spread into the chest around the heart. The chance of this happening is less than 2%. An aggressive antibiotic regime is a necessary part of the treatment. Most patients who contract this kind of infection will require one of more additional procedures to clean the wound.
Stroke
All cardiac surgery carries a small risk of stroke or temporary disturbance of the blood supply to the brain. This may seriously affect mobility and speech. This disability may be temporary after surgery but about 2% of patients may be left with a permanent disability. The risk increases with age and more complex operations.
CABG
1-2%
Aortic Valve Surgery
1-2%
Mitral Valve Surgery
2-3%
Major Aortic Surgery
10%
Heart Valve & Coronary Bypass Surgery
6%
AGE (YEARS)
RISK OF STROKE (UK on Based Statistics)
< 60
1%
60-69
2%
70-79
3%
80 or Over
8-10%
TYPES OF OPERATIONS
RISK OF STROKE (UK on Based Statistics)
Pacing for Bradycardia
Some patients may experience a slower than normal heart rate while they recover from surgery. This is commonly treated by connecting the heart to a temporary pacemaker until the heart recovers fully. 1 – 2% of patients who have undergone aortic or Mitral valve surgery may require a permanent pacemaker.
Blood Transfusion Risks
A patient may require blood during or after surgery. At ACI we utilize pre-procedure protocols to optimize the patient’s blood count before the procedure. We also adhere to strict controls to monitor all blood being administered and ensure that safe practice according to set standards is maintained at all times. At ACI, we practice conservative blood management utilizing a cell saver wherever possible to collect and process the patient’s own blood in the surgical field and reinfuse the same after the procedure which results in fewer external blood transfusions.