Exact Answer: 14-21 Days
LVAD is the abbreviation of Left Ventricular Assist Device. This device is an electromechanical device used for assisting cardiac circulation. The device can be used to replace the function of a heart that is about to fail in people having heart conditions.
Patients or people suffering from heart failures or other kinds of heart diseases require such kinds of treatment. However, on average patients are required to stay on hospital stay for at least two to three weeks after an LVAD implantation. During this time you will begin to learn about the new device.
How Long Is Hospital Stay After LVAD Surgery?
| Duration of LVAD surgery | 4-8 hours |
| Hospital stay after surgery | 14-21 days |
Staying in hospital after your surgery has got various reasons because your doctor will constantly check up on you whether you are having any kind of trouble or not with the new machine. The doctor will check other things too like every other body part is functioning well or not and other such kinds of things. This is also one of the reasons why patients stay for a while after their treatment.
You will be shifted to ICU soon after the implant is over and then further processes will take place. You will be connected to a ventilator so that you breathe fine after you wake from your surgery. However, the ventilator process will discontinue once you start breathing on your own.
During these processes, you will have a lot of IVs and IV pumps delivering medications and along with it, you will go through several chest tubes so that the fluids from your chest are drained out. Other things like a catheter will be placed in your bladder so that you can drain your urine. Patients who recently had this surgery are normally kept for a week in ICU depending on their recovery time.
You will have a procedure called an echocardiogram which means the doctor will check how your heart and the new machine (LVAD) are working together. The doctors and nurses will keep monitoring you closely and once you are awake from the surgery the breathing tube will be removed and you will breathe fine.
Why Does It Take That Long For Hospital Stay After LVAD Surgery?
As mentioned above the reasons why the duration of your stay after LVAD surgery is long because doctors will examine you closely even after the surgery has taken place successfully. They will check whether or not there are some complications that have to be removed or not. They will check you are doing fine after the surgery or you are having some kind of trouble.
However, the stay in the hospital for quite a while is important because you and your caregivers will be taught how the device functions and works. There are several things that you will need to learn about the device like what does alarm mean, the proper maintenance of the systems, several procedures, and other such kinds of things. You will be kept in a private room after a few weeks so that your family can visit you and they can even spend the night in your room.
Doctors will provide you with your own set of LVAD pieces of equipment and the instructor or the LVAD coordinator will teach you about the device and how to recognize complications and contacting the LVAD team.
Physiotherapists and other people will work on your strength. They will ask you to do certain exercises daily so that you can regain your strength and you begin walking normally again as soon as possible. However, along with such exercises, you will have to continue certain tests like X-rays and blood draw so that the doctors can monitor the response to the medications of recovery.
Conclusion
In the end, you have to be careful after the surgery has been done successfully. There is nothing to worry about because you have been through the initial or the critical stage and it is time to recover. When you arrive at your home you should take at least another month of bed rest so that the healing is complete.
Do not hesitate to contact your doctor if you feel certain pain or there is some kind of discomfort. Make sure you have all the medicines on time.
References
- https://journals.lww.com/asaiojournal/FullText/2019/11000/What_Causes_LVAD_Associated_Ischemic_Stroke_.5.aspx
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053077015000506
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This information is vital for those going through this
Absolutely important. Knowledge is power.
The recovery is just as crucial as the surgery itself, it seems.
I think it is even more important.
Indeed, one should put equal importance on both.
Recovery can be quite a journey, wishing the best for anyone experiencing this.
Absolutely.
All of these processes sound daunting, but it is good to be prepared for what is to come.
Yes, knowledge is power.
Recovery is a journey.
Interesting, there are many aspects to consider regarding hospital stay and recovery
This article provides valuable information
Absolutely, recovery is a critical time.
That is a good amount of time to learn the new device and all the other things! We should not be pushing to leave earlier, takes time to adjust
i agree, that is really important.
Those who do not take recovery seriously might regret it later in the process.
Recovery is paramount.
Absolutely.
Let’s hope for successful recoveries for everyone undergoing such procedures.
Yes, indeed.
21 days is way too long to stay in the hospital, don’t you think?
I think it is understandable, given the care needed.
Good to be aware of what is to come during the recovery process.
Indeed.