On the Day of Your Heart Surgery: What to Expect

You will be admitted to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center as either an inpatient or a same-day surgery patient.

Same-day patients are admitted on the same day as their surgery.
Inpatients are admitted a day or more before surgery.

Please click here to download the Patient Pathways Chart, detailing what to expect on the day of your surgery and during your hospital recovery.

Por favor oprima aqui para descargar las hojas clinicas del paciente, detallando el dia de su cirugia y durante su recuperacion en el hospital.

Here are a few things to remember:

If you take medications in the morning, you may do so with a minimal amount of water the day of your surgery.
Please bring a list of all medications you are currently taking, including the dosage, on the day of admission.
Shower with an antibacterial soap (chlorhexidine gluconate) the night before and the morning of surgery.
Do not eat or drink past midnight the night before your surgery.
Arrive at the hospital as rested and relaxed as possible.
If you develop a fever or cold, contact your physician before coming to the hospital.

What Should I Bring?

Storage case for dentures or other dental work, hearing aids, glasses, or contact lenses.
Insurance card and personal identification.
A copy of your health care proxy and/or living will, if you have one.
Do not bring anything valuable (jewelry, watches, rings, credit cards, cash, etc.)
A list of medications you are currently taking.

Choose a Contact Person

Plan to have someone accompany you to the hospital the morning of your surgery. Be sure to designate one family member or friend to communicate with your surgeon and the health care team.

Same-Day Patients

You should arrive at the Milstein Hospital Building Lobby 90 minutes before your scheduled operation time. For example, if your surgery is scheduled for 7 am, arrive at the 3rd floor of the Milstein Heart Center at 5:30 am. Please be patient about possible changes in the schedule due to unanticipated emergencies. We request that you be accompanied by a family member or friend.

Inpatients

If you are admitted to the hospital before your day of surgery, you will be assigned a room where you will spend the night. You will meet with a clinician to discuss your surgery and answer your questions. You will also be visited by your surgical team, an anesthesiologist. The aim is to obtain the clearest possible picture of your medical needs while offering you a chance to get information about your treatment from a wide range of sources.

You will be asked a series of questions about any previous health problems or operations you may have had, how you are feeling currently, and any allergies you may have to foods or medicines. Be sure to provide the exact names and dosages of all medications and supplements you are taking.

Your family may wait with you in the Holding Area of the Operating Room until you go into surgery. You will be given a hospital gown to wear and asked to remove all clothing, makeup, jewelry, hair pieces, hair pins, dentures, hearing aids, eyeglasses, and contact lenses. Any items not taken by your family will be inventoried and kept by security. Your items will be returned to you after surgery.

Rooms

All patients are scheduled for a semi-private room. Private rooms are subject to availability and are available by request. Please note that private rooms are not covered by insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Day of Surgery

Here are some of the questions most frequently asked by patients at this stage of their hospitalization:

Q: How long will the operation take?

A: The operation itself usually takes 3 to 5 hours, but preparation for surgery, administration of anesthesia, and preparation for the transfer to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Units (CTICUs) extends the time in the operating rooms to 4 to 6 hours.

Q: How will my family know when the surgery is completed?

A: While the operation is in progress, your family can wait in the hospital lobby or leave a telephone number where they can be reached. When the surgery is completed, your surgeon will contact your family and inform them of your condition.

Q: Where will I be when I wake up?

A: Following surgery, you will be brought to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) on the 5th floor of the Milstein Hospital Building or the Heart Center.

Q: When will I be able to see my family?

A: Once you have been moved to the CTICU for recovery after surgery and comfortably settled, your family will be allowed in for a brief visit.

Q: What are the visiting hours?

Visiting hours are from 7am-9pm. Two visitors are allowed at bedside at any one time. If you are in a semi-private room, we ask that family members not sleep overnight.

Q: How should my family communicate with the health care team?

A: One family member or friend should be designated to communicate with your surgeon and the healthcare team. This will enhance the flow of information and decrease the chance of miscommunication.

All visitors must call the CTICU from the waiting room before visiting. While you are in the ICU, visitors may come two at a time and are limited to immediate family and significant others only. Your appointed family communicator can call the ICU to check on your condition; this is the only person who may call the unit. This will help prevent disruptions in your care.

What to Expect in the Operating Room

Here are some general things to expect once you enter the operating room:

The operating room will be cold and have many bright lights, machines, and instruments.
The operating room team consists of two nurses, two anesthesiologists, a physician assistant (PA), staff running various machines, the surgical resident, and your surgeon.
Intravenous Lines (IVs) are inserted for medications, fluid replacement, and blood pressure monitoring. After the first IV is inserted, the anesthesiologist may administer medication to make you feel relaxed and drowsy. The anesthesiologist will ask you to breathe into a lightweight mask and give you medication through your IV so that you sleep during surgery.
A Foley catheter drains the urine from the bladder via the penis or urethra. It is usually removed on the first day after surgery.
A Swan-Ganz catheter is inserted through a vein in your neck into your heart to measure volume status and pressure in your heart's chambers.
A member of the operating room team will shave surgical sites to remove any hair.
An endotracheal tube (ETT) is inserted into the windpipe through your mouth while you are asleep. This tube is attached to the ventilator, which breathes for you during and after surgery.

More Heart Surgery Guides

For more information, call us at (212) 305-2633 or use our appointment request form.