How long is AVR surgery

[Flymark]

My kids asked me a question about how long a typical aortic valve replacement surgery took. Nothing else being done. I didn’t have a great answer for them. Some hospital and webmd-type sites said 2-4 hours. Obviously their total wait time from me being taken back to them being updated as me being closed will add some time. But I was looking for actual skin-to-skin time. Experiences?

 

[MdaPA]

"skin-to-skin" for traditional OHS, meaning the time from incision to time of closer, can certainly take a few hours as there is a lot going on in-between. e.g. chest is cracked open, hook-up to heart-lung machine, heart is stopped, cutting to remove old valve, sizing and stitching of new valve, TEE/imaging, disconnecting from heart lung and restarting heart. Tack-on a few more hours if they are cutting through scar tissue if this is not your first OHS.

There is also the prep time needed before the first incision is made. These things would include insertion of IV, various tubes and catheters, and administering meds and anesthesia.

The day will go fast/seem like a blur for the patient but will be a long one for those waiting. Although you may not be fully awake yet, I would say for those waiting to expect to see you in ICU 6 to 8 hours after they see you wheeled back for your surgery. You should inquire how/if COVID protocol will impact visitation.

 

[Meanjellybean]

"skin-to-skin" for traditional OHS, meaning the time from incision to time of closer, can certainly take a few hours as there is a lot going on in-between. e.g. chest is cracked open, hook-up to heart-lung machine, heart is stopped, cutting to remove old valve, sizing and stitching of new valve, TEE/imaging, disconnecting from heart lung and restarting heart. Tack-on a few more hours if they are cutting through scar tissue if this is not your first OHS.

There is also the prep time needed before the first incision is made. These things would include insertion of IV, various tubes and catheters, and administering meds and anesthesia.

The day will go fast/seem like a blur for the patient but will be a long one for those waiting. Although you may not be fully awake yet, I would say for those waiting to expect to see you in ICU 6 to 8 hours after they see you wheeled back for your surgery. You should inquire how/if COVID protocol will impact visitation.

Pretty accurate.

 

[pellicle]

But I was looking for actual skin-to-skin time. Experiences?

My last one was complex, 2nd redo (so #3) and complex bovine arch anatomy for the aneurysm repair. I was told 10hours from going under to ICU.

I was asleep, but must have been hell for my wife...

 

[Paleowoman]

My kids asked me a question about how long a typical aortic valve replacement surgery took. Nothing else being done. I didn’t have a great answer for them.

My surgery was just under 3 hours, from 1.30pm until 4.25pm.

 

[ATHENS1964]

At 8:00 in the morning they took me from the room and at 14.30 they informed my wife .

 

[Paleowoman]

The reason I know the exact time of my surgery is that I'd asked the anaesthetist the night before AVR if he would write down for me the times of start and finsh of surgery - nurse on the ward gave me the paper the anaesthetist had written the times on which I have kept - he also wrote that I was on the heart lung machine from 2pm till 2.45pm

DH came to see me in ICU at about 8pm but I was unconcious and intubated. I was woken up around 5am the following morning.

 

[almost_hectic]

Mine was 5 hours (I was told) for ministernotomy, valve replacement, aortic graft, and atrial appendage clip

 

[Keithl]

Last time I saw on the OR clock was 7:04am and my wife says it was closer to noon when I was in recovery. I had a full chest crack, AVR and aortic graft.

 

[tom in MO]

If it's your kids asking, tell them a time that is longer than anticipated, then they will be happy when it's shorter