Recovering From Your LVAD Surgery

Your recovery begins in the ICU immediately after surgery and continues in the step-down unit. Your medical team will help you gradually regain physical strength and range of motion, while continuing to monitor your vital signs. During this time, your medications will be adjusted to stabilize your heart function with your new pump. Echocardiograms may be done to see how your heart is adjusting to the LVAD, and all invasive lines or tubes will be removed as you progress.

Physical and Occupational Therapy

Once all of your vital signs are stable, it will be very important for you to begin physical therapy so you can sit up, get out of bed and eventually walk. Your nurses and physical therapist(s) will work with you to maintain or rebuild your strength, flexibility and coordination. To keep your recovery moving forward, it’s very important that you perform the exercises given to you by the physical therapists in between their visits.

Meanwhile, an occupational therapist will help you learn how to safely and comfortably do everyday tasks like dressing, washing and getting around with your LVAD. It may feel awkward at first, having your LVAD equipment with you all the time. But with practice and with support from your medical team and loved ones, it will soon become second nature. (You may want to visit the Community Forums to see how other LVAD patients made the adjustment.)

Protecting Your Sternum

Because your surgeon will have had to cut through your breastbone (also known as your sternum) to implant your LVAD, you will need to protect the sternum from injury so it can heal. During the first six weeks after surgery, you’ll need to:

• Be careful not to lift more than ten pounds
• Avoid reaching backward
• Keep your arms close to your sides when doing things like getting out of your bed or chair
• Stop what you’re doing if you feel your sternum pull or ache, and avoid that activity until you check with your doctor

Caring for Your Chest Incision

Your nurses will show you how to clean your chest incision while it heals. Their specific guidelines may vary, but typically they will instruct you to use soapy water on your hand or a washcloth to gently wash the incision(s) up and down. Do not rub the incision until the scabs are gone and the skin is completely healed. Do not put any salves, oils or lotions on the incision unless you've been told to do so.

Be sure to contact your doctor if signs of infection appear:

• Increased drainage or oozing from incision
• Redness or warmth around the incision
• Increased opening of the incision line
• A fever of higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius)
• If you have diabetes, and your blood sugar levels begin to vary more than usual

Itching, tightness and/or numbness along your incision are normal after surgery. You will be given a prescription for a pain medication before you leave the hospital.