After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Your healthcare provider performed coronary artery bypass graft surgery (also called CABG, pronounced “cabbage”). This surgery created new pathways around blocked parts of your heart’s blood vessels, allowing blood to reach your heart muscle. Your healthcare provider used a healthy blood vessel from another part of your body (a graft) to restore blood flow.

After your surgery, follow-up appointments will be made for you before you leave the hospital. You will have appointments with all members of your healthcare team including your surgeon and cardiologist (heart doctor). It is very important to keep these appointments as scheduled to ensure a healthy recovery. Your healthcare providers will also go over how to care for yourself at home.  Here are some things to keep in mind: 

Activity

• Discuss with your healthcare doctor what you can and cannot do as you recover. You will have good and bad days. This is normal. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel depressed, have trouble sleeping, or have a persistent decrease in appetite. Although these problems are common after surgery, they can slow your recovery. It is important to seek help.
• Do not drive until cleared by your surgeon. Let others drive you wherever you need to go for at least the first 3 to 6 weeks after your surgery or until your providers tells you otherwise. When travelling as a passenger, sit in the back seat (in case of air bag deployment) and wear your safety belt.  
• Ask someone to stand nearby while you shower or do other activities, just in case you need help.
• Avoid using very hot water while showering. It can affect your circulation and make you dizzy.
• Weigh yourself every day, at the same time of day, and in the same kind of clothes. Quick weight gain can be a sign of a problem that needs your healthcare provider’s attention.
• You may start doing light work around the house and yard after 2 to 3 weeks at home. Do not lift anything heavier than 5 pounds. Your healthcare provider may give you a more specific weight restriction. Until approved by your healthcare provider, avoid mowing the lawn, vacuuming, driving, and doing other activities that could strain your breastbone.
• Ask your healthcare provider when you can expect to return to work.

Pain relief

You will recover faster after surgery if your pain is kept under control:

• Do not be surprised if you have soreness in your incision especially during changes in weather.
• Tell your healthcare provider if you have questions about what you are feeling, if your medicines do not reduce your pain, or if you suddenly feel worse.

Incision care

Healing takes several weeks. The bandage or dressing on your chest will be removed before you go home. The wound will be kept open to air, but you may have a bandage over old tube sites.   Ask your healthcare provider how you should care for it after you return home. Do the following to care for your incision:

• Clean your incision every day with soap and water.
• Gently pat the area of the incision to dry it.
• Do not use any powders, lotions, or oils on your incision until it is well healed or your healthcare provider tells you it is OK.

Lifestyle changes

• A walking program will be started in the hospital with a physical therapist before you go home.  You should continue this program at home and gradually increase the walking as much as you can tolerate:
• • Begin with short walks and go a little longer each day.
  • Choose a safe place with a level surface, such as a local park or mall.
  • Wear supportive shoes to prevent injury to your knees and ankles.
  • If possible, walk with someone. It is more fun and helps you stay with it.
• Take your medicines exactly as directed. Do not skip doses.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Get help to lose any extra pounds.
• Avoid fatty and fried foods. Stick to lean meats, such as chicken or fish. 
• Cut back on salt:
• • Limit canned, dried, packaged, and fast foods.
  • Do not add salt to your food at the table.
  • Season foods with herbs instead of salt when you cook.
• Break the smoking habit. Enroll in a stop-smoking program to improve your chances of success.

© 2000-2020 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. This information has been modified by your health care provider with permission from the publisher.