How long does it take to come round from anaesthetic ?

[Paleowoman]

As the title says, how long does it take to come round from the anaesthetic after aortic valve replacement ? I realise there may be a lot of variables, but what would be an average time ?

 

[ottagal]

That is a good question. I was still 'sedated' when I was moved into ICU and several hours later when I was being extubated, so cannot tell you when I actually came out of the anaesthetic from surgery. I presume, it is after you are closed up. HOwever, I could be wrong. I know that I was on the bypass machine for 90 minutes. Perhaps others will have an 'exact' response for you.

 

[clay_from_nj]

Similar to ottagal, I was not even conscious until I was out of ICU and in a "regular" room.

I was told that I was struggling with the respirator and had to be restrained, but I don't remember any of that. She says I was wide awake while still in ICU, but I honestly don't remember any of it.

 

[Freddie]

What I've been told and what I remember: I was wheeled out of OR around 5:30 - 5:45pm. In ICU, I was told by my SO or I saw the clock (?) it was 11:30pm, but I was still very sedated and tried so hard to keep my eyes open, but just couldn't do it. I think it was around 8am when I was moved into a regular room.

This is a hard thing to even try to compare with the next person, since everyone is different.

 

[Duffey]

I came out of surgery about 5pm, barely remember being extubated, and don't think I woke up until the next morning. I'd say about 12 hours.

 

[T in YVR]

It can vary based on circumstances etc. I went in at 7:50am and woke up around 3pm - so 7 hours for me before I was awake. I was told that they leave the patient unconscious well after the surgery in case there are any complications etc and to help with the immediate recovery. The issue of complications arising is exactly what happened to me - they completed the operation, took me into the ICU/recovery and after 1 hour the surgeon felt that I was having excessive bleeding and drainage of fluids. So, they took me back into the OR, opened me back up (ugh!), had a look at everything to make sure I was ok and then gave me some plasma (to help with clotting and to stop the bleeding) and then put me back together again (I was back in the OR for 40 minutes on the 2nd trip). I was unconscious during this entire experience, so it made it easier for them to not have to knock me out again. If all goes as planned, they will likely have you knocked out for 7 or 8 hours I suspect.

In terms of how long the anesthetic affects you, it can be alot longer than this! You'll be groggy for a while.

 

[Rocky]

I was in surgery at about 7am and under shortly after. I woke up briefly about 5 pm, then in and out all night. I was fully conscious in the morning, and they moved me to the ward.

I was out of the hospital about 6 days later, and back at work three weeks after that.

 

[Paleowoman]

Oh gosh - long time really then. I'll remember this thread when I go in and post what happens with me !

 

[OldManEmu]

With my first surgery in 2004 I was taken to surgery about 7:30am and didn't wake up until about 3am the next day. With my second surgery in 2011 I was taken to surgery about the same time however I was conscious about 8pm the same day. After both surgeries I was discharged from ICU the morning after surgery about 9am, to a regular cardiac ward.

 

[marc_kowal]

My surgery started at 8 am and wrapped up at noon time. My first conscious thoughts were the nurses and my wife talking to me and asking me to try and breath. The tube came out a few minutes later when they felt like I was ok to have the breathing tube removed. This was all around 3 / 3:30ish if I recall correctly.

 

[Marcia58]

I'm totally different story. AccOrding to my medical records, anesthesia signed off on me at about 2:30 pm. I remember being transferred from the gurney to the bed in ICU. I clearly remember being extubated shortly after 6:00 pm. In between those two events,, I remember repeatedly giving my husband's hand 3 squeezes ("I love you"), trying to write nOtes on a piece of paper, and trying to joke with a doctor about his name. My friend, whose son has had 4 heart surgeries in his 25 years, said I came out of anesthesia the fastest of anyone she's ever seen.

The best pre-op advice I got--"Don't fight the vent."

 

[Rachel]

I went in at 5:30am - woke up around 6:00pm - about 12 hours or so I guess

 

[AZ Don]

I woke up right after I was brought into ICU and I remember everything from that point on quite well, including the breathing tube.

 

[Bina]

Heavy meds and me don't get along very well.....I had a morning surgery and was able to get the vent tube out later that day, but was otherwise non-functional until the next morning.

 

[J Mazer]

I must have missed around 12 hours after surgery which lasted somewhere between 6 and 8 hours. However the side effects from anaesthesia lasted for several days leading to some amazing hallucinations. Even after a week my mind was still not totally clear. After 1.5 weeks everything finally cleared up in my mind. I guess that is one reason the surgeons do not want you to drive for a number of weeks after the surgery.

 

[Lynlw]

I woke up right after I was brought into ICU and I remember everything from that point on quite well, including the breathing tube.

Most of Justin's heart surgeries have been like yours as far as waking shortly after surgery, sometimes he woke in the recovery room before the took him to CICU and others very shortly after getting in CICU. He usually didnt stay awake much the first evening, but when he was awake, both on and off he vent, he was aware enough to ask questions, even about the score of a baseball game that was that day, so he was very alert

So it is really different for each person and even the same person having he same surgery can have different experiences...Much like alot of OHS recovery experiences.

 

[kimcdougc]

I went into surgery at around 1 pm out of surgery at 5 pm. Awoke on vent at 5:15 pm...put me back on sedation until vent came out at 9 pm in ICU. Alert the rest of the night. In regular room next morning no tubes except the one in my neck. Went home 4 days later.

 

[Kozmo]

My surgery was at 7:00 a.m, and was out of surgery at about 2:30 - 3:00 p.m. (only took that long because they found out during surgery about my BAV, and impromptu installed a mechanical valve). I have a slight recollection of being extubated, mainly being held up by nurses, the tube coming out, and falling back into a laying position (whatever time that was). Another slight recollection I have was I came to for about 5 seconds, saw my mother sitting in the room on her phone (we joke about her playing candy crush, haha) and blacked back out (no idea what time that was).

I started to become coherent and responsive at about 2 am the next morning, as I asked for 1) a glass of water, and 2) what time it was.

I didn't really experience any hallucinations, the only side effect I remember was quite arguably the WORST dry mouth I've ever experienced. Instead of cottonmouth, I called it Sahara mouth.

In short, judging by the answers I'd assume it really depends on a combination of the patient, anesthesiologist, and sedatives. As they affect everybody differently.

Hope this helped!

-Koz

 

[ctyguy]

My surgery was about 8am, in ICU about 1pm. I struggled when they tried to take the vent out and was re-sedated. I don't remember that. They did get the vent out about 4pm and I was awake and talking by early that evening.

 

[aliciavicki]

My surgery was at 1.30pm, I don't remember anything past about 1pm, when I came-to, my first memories are my family telling me not to go back to sleep, gagging on the breathing tube, and being told that it won't be removed unless I stay awake... I looked at the clock and it was 11pm... After the tube came out I was alert because I didn't get any sleep that night!!