The surgeons at Twin Cities Heart and Lung believe in patient education. We've designed our site to help you learn about procedures so you can understand them and proceed with your treatment with the knowledge to put your fears to rest.
Most carotid surgery patients are admitted to the hospital the day before surgery or, in some cases, on the morning of surgery. The night before surgery, you will be asked to bathe to reduce the amount of germs on your skin. After you are admitted to the hospital, the area to be operated on will be washed, scrubbed with antiseptic, and, if needed, shaved.
General anesthesia will put you to sleep during the operation, and because anesthesia is safest on an empty stomach, you will be asked not to eat or drink after midnight the night before surgery. If you do eat or drink anything after midnight, it is important that you tell your anesthesiologist and surgeon. If you smoke, you must stop at least two weeks before your surgery. Smoking before surgery can lead to problems with blood clotting and breathing.
Before surgery, you may have an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), blood tests, urine tests, and a chest x-ray to give your surgeon the latest information about your health. You will be given something to help you relax (a mild tranquilizer) before you are taken into the operating room.
Small metal disks called electrodes will be attached to your chest. These electrodes are connected to an electrocardiogram machine, which will monitor your heart's rhythm and electrical activity. You will receive a local anesthetic to numb the area where a plastic tube (called a line) will be inserted in an artery in your wrist. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted in a vein. The IV line will be used to give you the anesthesia before and during the operation.
After Surgery Instructions:
After your surgery, you can expect to stay in the hospital for about one to three days, including one day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). While in the hospital, you will need to lie flat and not move your head too much, to facilitate healing. Your neck may ache on the side where the operation was performed, and this may last for up to 2 weeks. Try to avoid physically demanding activities for about a week afterward, although it may take as long as two weeks before you are healed completely.
