Surgery duration and average time on the Pump for a straight AVR?

[T in YVR]

Hi,

For those that had an aortic valve replacement (a straight AVR and nothing more complicated - no aneurysm, etc.), I had 2 questions I was hoping people could answer:

1. How long was your actual surgery (not including all the pre-operative prep - just the actual operation)?
2. How much time were you on the heart-lung machine? I'm just curious what the average amount of time is that someone spends on the pump...

Thanks!
Tony

 

[Justin1981]

Don't quote me on this because I was of course out, but for my surgery I believe the duration was 5 hours and the bypass machine was 2 1/2 or 3 hours of it.

I know i'm beating a dead horse with this message but be aware that common side affects of the bypass machine are night sweats, hot/cold flashes, and bad dreams. Good news is they only last for 3 weeks or so.

Good luck on your surgery. has a date been set? I found a lot of reassurance and knowledge on this board and I hope you do the same.

 

[Heart Of The Sunrise]

Tony, for comparison here are my times. I did have a significant anuerysm so my entire ascending aorta was replaced. So, my times are longer.
I had about 90 minutes of prep time in the OR. Actual surgery was from 9:45 am till I was moved to the ICU at 6:30 pm.
I had Deep Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest and Retrograde Cerebral Perfusion as part of my procedure. They chilled my body down to 58 degrees. Then they drained all the blood out of it. They placed my brain on the heart-lung machine and fixed my heart with no blood pressure.
Total bypass time 203 minutes. Total Ishemic time 157 minutes. Total: (DHCA/RCP) Total Deep Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest/ Retrograde Cerebral Perfusion 19 minutes.
I read my surgical notes and view the video link in my signature at least once a week. I still find the whole thing I went through amazing! Good luck! I am sure you will do just fine!:thumbup:

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I also had both AVR and repair to my aorta. My surgery time was about 2.5 hours. The surgeon expected I would be on the heart/lung machine about 1.75 hours, but I didn't follow up post-OP. -- Suzanne

 

[escargome]

Tony,
From what my family tells me. I went into OR at about 9:00am, they called when I was off heart/lung machine at about 10:30, then outta OR by 11:45 into ICU room. I am only giving you approximates cause my family kidded me that they barely had time to finish their breakfast and it was time to come see the puffy out of it old lady....:rolleyes2:

 

[neil]

yep less than 2 hrs for me, your right chris i was puffy also

 

[Heather Anne]

Less than two hours on the machine for me as well, and I decided the puffiness made me look younger.

 

[T in YVR]

Good luck on your surgery. has a date been set? I found a lot of reassurance and knowledge on this board and I hope you do the same.

No date set yet, but was told by the surgeon's office it should be before Oct. 14...lots of other higher priority cases they are getting through I guess. Hope to have a firm date in early Sept.

Thanks for everyone's responses. It gives me a baseline idea of what to expect...will ask my surgeon what he expects it to be. I'm just hoping for as little pump time as possible.

 

[knotguilty]

I think I went into surgery around 8-8:30am, was waking up around 1pm. My total time on bypass was 123 minutes. Aorta was crossclamped for a total of 98 minutes. Minimally invasive surgery. Only AVR, no other problems. Was in hospital for 4 full days. Could have returned to work (lab tech) within 6 weeks but chose to continue rehab up tp 12 weeks post op. Now I have NO limits. My main suggestiont to people is to make sure you do rehab!!

 

[DanielB]

I was rolled into surgery at 8:00 AM, was told I was on the machine for about 90 minutes, out and in the ICU at about 1:00PM.

 

[TomG]

Hi Tony.

To answer your two questions. My mitral valve repair surgery lasted from 8:30am to 2:30pm on September 13, 2012 and I asked my surgeon a few days later how long I was on the heart/lung machine and he said between 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Other the getting puffy and some night chills I had no problems at all!

Best of luck to you and before you know it this will be just a memory.

TomG (Collingdale, Pa)

 

[kimcdougc]

Hi Tony,

Don't know how long on the heart lung machine, buy my surgery from prep etc to finish was less than 4 hours start to finish. I had a straight AVR surgery only.

Best of luck to you for an uneventful surgery and recovery.

Kim

AVR May 23, 2013

 

[Sten Osis]

3 hours total. About 30 mins. on the machine.