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Cardiac surgery

Stay in an intensive care unit after heart surgery

Before your surgery, the anaesthetist, in consultation with the heart surgeon, will determine whether you will stay in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit (PAZA) or an intensive care unit (ICU). This decision is based on your risk profile (according to the EuroSCORE and medical history) and the type of procedure you are undergoing. This plan may be adjusted depending on how your surgery progresses.

In PAZA, you will stay for a few hours to one night. You can return to the hospital ward as soon as your condition is stable enough. Sometimes, an ICU stay is necessary. If this is planned, you will be transferred directly from the operating room to the ICU.

On this page

Waking up

After your surgery, you will gradually wake up. Sometimes, you will be kept asleep longer until your condition is fully stable. In some cases, you may be awakened in the operating theatre itself.

Once awake, you might experience a sore throat, dry mouth, or thirst. Some patients also report side effects such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, or confusion. Do not hesitate to inform the responsible doctor or nurse about any symptoms.

As the anaesthesia wears off, you may feel pain around the surgical wound(s). Let the doctor or nurse know how much pain you are experiencing so they can adjust your medication accordingly.

The ICU environment can sometimes be stressful. There is continuous lighting and ambient noise (including equipment alarms and staff conversations), which can interfere with sleep quality. Adequate pain relief will help you rest, even in this busy setting.

Continuous 24/7 monitoring

Heart surgery is a major procedure. Therefore, it is essential for you to remain under constant medical supervision during the first few days after surgery. A team of specialised doctors and nurses will closely monitor your condition 24/7 using surveillance equipment. Your vital signs (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, consciousness), surgical wounds, and motor functions will be continuously observed.

Medical devices

Immediately after surgery, your breathing will be supported by a ventilator, medication will be administered via an intravenous drip, a urinary catheter will drain urine, and drainage tubes will remove wound fluid from the surgical site. If necessary, devices can temporarily take over the function of your kidneys, heart, and/or lungs.

When you wake up, you will notice that you are connected to various tubes and devices. Try to remain calm—these will be removed as soon as they are no longer needed.

As your recovery progresses, you will require less intensive monitoring and treatment. The recovery timeline varies from patient to patient.

Movement, eating, and drinking

From the first day after surgery, a physiotherapist will visit you to start breathing and movement exercises. Eating and drinking will also resume as soon as possible. This gradual approach promotes recovery and helps shorten your hospital stay.

Visiting

Please consult the care unit's information page for the most up-to-date visiting guidelines.

PAZA

The PAZA or post-anaesthesia care unit is the first recovery room after your procedure. Under constant supervision of specialised doctors and nurses assisted by specialised equipment, it allows you to wake up gradually.

Intensieve zorg 5

This unit within the intensive medicine department mainly accommodates patients after cardiac surgery or heart and/or lung transplantation.
Last edit: 21 february 2025