After Your Operation
On this page, you can read all about what to expect during your hospital stay. Or, just click on one of the links below, to get the answer you want right now.
After your surgery, you will go to the Vascular Step-Down Unit, located in the CVICU (Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit) for 1 night.
- You will have an IV in your vein for fluids and pain medicine.
- You will be attached to a heart monitor to check your heart.
- You will have an incision (cut) in your neck about 10 to 15 cm long. Dissolvable stitches that will disappear over time are used to close this incision.
- A nurse will check your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and breathing.
- To check the blood flow to your brain the nurse will ask you questions and ask you to do simple things like “squeeze my hand.”
- The nurse will ask you to take deep breaths. This will help to fully open up your lungs.
- You will feel sleepy from the anesthetic medicine.
- You may have nausea and upset stomach for about 1 day.
- Your throat may feel sore from the breathing tube you had during surgery. It will feel better in a couple of days.
- Most patients have pain after surgery. You can expect to feel pain in the area you had your surgery. You may also feel stiff and have aches in other areas of your body. Take your pain medicine regularly. This will help you to start moving around sooner.
You will be in the hospital for 1 day only. You will be discharged home the following morning. Arrange to have someone to pick you up between 10:00 am – 11:00 am the morning after your operation.
