How soon after heart cath?

[cherylchapa]

My son is having his pulmonary valve replaced soon. Cardiologist said immediately as in late June or early July. They are trying to schedule the heart cath for the first or second Monday in June. How soon after the cath do they usually schedule surgery? When he had his first surgery (this will be his second) 10 years ago, I think he had the cath the day before but not sure. I've blocked out a lot of stuff from that time in his life. It was rough

Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Cheryl

 

[jax]

i imagine that every hospital is different. my heart cath is scheduled 2 days before my surgery.

 

[Tbone]

That depends upon the surgery room schedule, and the severity (priority) of the cases they have upcoming.

 

[Bina]

My surgeon wanted 2 weeks between cath and surgery. ( I was glad, because I was sore.)
Best wishes.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

A fair number of our members reported having a cath the day before surgery, especially those who traveled long distances to have their surgery. I expect a few urgent / critical cases may have gone straight from the Cath Lab into surgery.

Bottom Line: There is no set standard 'waiting period' following the cath.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Jkm7]

I had my cath about two weeks before my surgery.

So sorry you and your son/family have to go through all this and send my very best wishes.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I scheduled both of mine at the same time, but the cath was a couple of months before the surgery. It used to be standard practice to have the cath the day before, but unless it's an emergency, they usually separate them by a few days at least because otherwise it can affect their insurance reimbursement!

 

[bugchucker]

Mine was the day prior to surgury. Best wishes to you and your son. I'll be rooting for him!

 

[kfay]

You definitely need to ask your surgeon's office. I had my last cath the day before my surgery.

Kim

 

[WilliamJE]

My son is having his pulmonary valve replaced soon. Cardiologist said immediately as in late June or early July. They are trying to schedule the heart cath for the first or second Monday in June. How soon after the cath do they usually schedule surgery? When he had his first surgery (this will be his second) 10 years ago, I think he had the cath the day before but not sure. I've blocked out a lot of stuff from that time in his life. It was rough

Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Cheryl

I was on cumadin. So I had to stop taking those before the operation. My cath. was August 4th, and I was operated on August 13th.

 

[tobagotwo]

Check with your hospital. In some places, there are antiquated regulations that say the cath must be within a certain time span of the surgery (much like blood tests, which must be done close to surgery). In truth, I can't say I agree that a cath actually has to be done, period.

But don't trip over the handiwork of some officious little twit in either the hospital or the insurance company. I had the cath the day before surgery, and due to hospital rules, and had to stay that night to be there for the morning, or the hospital wouldn't allow my surgery to be scheduled.

However, my insurance company denied the overnight stay, saying it was technically an extension of the cardiac cath episode, which they don't allow unless there are catheter wound closure issues. Darned if you do, darned if you don't. I stayed, and they all worked it out somehow, but it could have been ugly.

Best wishes,