W5: MC (part 2) Flashcards
What is open heart surgery?
How is the heart accessed?
Examples of open heart surgery?
How is the sternum closure done?
- Invasive procedure, used for complicated or severe heart presentations.
- Heart accessed via a median sternotomy
- CABG, valve replacement, repair of coronary vessels and congenital defects, removal of tumours and heart and lung transplants
- Closure of sternum- wires, sometimes plate, sometimes left open or unwired if complications expected and a return to theatre is expected
What is a heart-lung bypass?
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) provides a ..... field for cardiac surgery. * During surgery, the heart is immobilized by ...... solution. * Bypass incorporates an ..... circuit to provide physiological support in which .... blood is drained to a reservoir, ..... and sent back to the body using a pump.
- Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) provides a bloodless field for cardiac surgery.
- During surgery, the heart is immobilized by cardioplegic solution.
- Bypass incorporates an extracorporeal circuit to provide physiological support in which venous blood is drained to a reservoir, oxygenated and sent back to the body using a pump.
Note:
Oxygen-poor blood is drained from the vena cava into a reservoir. It then passes through an oxygenator where it gets oxygenated. The oxygen-rich blood is then pumped back into the aorta to circulate through the body.
Possible complications from heart-lung bypass?
- MI
- CVA (cerebrovascular accident)
- Embolic episodes
- Arrhythmias
- Bleeding disorders due to thrombocytopenia and clotting abnormalities
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Reduced pulmonary gas exchange
- Red cell damage
- Inflammatory response
- Acute kidney injury
- Post-bypass syndrome (quite common!)
- 2-3 weeks later, ?auto immune type response, unwell, fever, lethargy
What is a coronary artery bypass graft?
- Open-heart surgery where a section of a peripheral blood vessel is grafted and relocated to the heart to bypass a blocked section of the coronary artery (stent not appropriate for them, multiple blockages & more complex)
Aim of a CABG?
Improve blood supply to the heart
Common grafts include?
Saphenous vein graft
Left internal mammary artery
Complications of a sternotomy
Complications of sternotomy
* Myocardial Injury
* Blood loss
* Atrial Fibrillation
* Pneumonia
* Memory/cognitive impairment
* Subxiphoid incisional hernias
* Brachial Plexus Injury
* Superficial Incisional Infection
* Sternal Instability/mediastinitis – 1-8% of patients worldwide
Common sternal precautions following open heart surgery?
- No lifting > 4kg
- No weighted activities at > 90 deg shoulder flexion/abduction
- No scapular retraction past neutral
- Avoid trunk flexion and rotation with supine ↔ sit
- No use of arms with sit to stand
- Only upper limb and thoracic AROM in pain free range (< shoulder height)
Issues with sternal precautions
- Variable across hospitals/surgeons
- Generally prescribed routinely with NO consistency (definition, duration & type)
- Precautions may be imposed from 4 weeks to 12 weeks postop
- Limited evidence base & not individualised for patients
- May be associated with long term functional impairments, musculoskeletal pain (shoulder and back) & post-sternotomy pain
- Using ultrasounds to scan for sternal stability –> studies have found there is more movement at the sternum in a cough/deep breath than arm movements (caused a shift in precautions away from using arms, etc
What is the new sternal saying being promoted?
Keep your move in the tube
When can’t you mobilise an open heart surgery patient?
Temporary pacing wires to get the heart back to its normal rhythm
How long is typical hospital stay post open heart surgery?
5 days
Mobility wise what is the goal day 1, 2 & 3-5?
Day 1: Transfer out of bed to bedside chair
Day 2: 100-160m 3-4x per day
Day 3-5: Ambulating 5-15 minutes in hall up to 2-3 x/day & Walk up/down 1 flight of stairs
ALL days includeL AROM, deep breathing, incentive spirometry, bicycle ergometer
What should patient education include following open heart surgery?
- Orient to ward
- Instruct on RPE scale for activity
- Answer questions
- Begin risk factor modification education
What is valvular surgery?
- Valves of the heart open and close to allow blood flow through the chambers of the heart.
- The opening and closing of the valves is specifically timed.
- Insufficiency of a valve (may not open or close fully) may reduce the blood flow into a chamber or cause blood flow to leak into another chamber when it shouldn’t.