What is the most common complication following cardiac surgery?

Complications of surgery

  • Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after cardiac surgery, and typically occurs two to four days after the operation.
  • Stroke occurs in up to 5% of patients following CABG and 16% of patients following valve surgery.
  • Mediastinitis, or infection of the sternal wound, occurs in up to 5% of patients.

How does cardiac surgery affect the brain?

Researchers say the heart bypass procedure, like many major surgeries, exposes the brain and nervous system to unusual stress, such as inflammation, lack of oxygen, lowered body temperature, and powerful anesthesia medications, that may affect brain function.

What nerve is commonly damaged during cardiac surgery?

Phrenic nerve injury is a well-known clinical condition following cardiac surgery [1-5]. Several studies have investigated the incidence and etiology of postoperative phrenic nerve dysfunction [2-6].

Is epidural safe for heart patients?

Epidural anesthesia had decrease of the cardiovascular events related to arrhythmia and the effect of significantly suppression raising the blood pressure during labor in pregnant women with cardiovascular disease. In pregnant women with the cardiovascular disease, epidural anesthesia during labor may be available.

Which postoperative complication is specific to cardiac surgery?

Pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery include atelectasis, pleural effusions, pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary embolism, phrenic nerve injury, pneumothorax, sternal wound infection, and mediastinitis, with different outbreaks in patients …

What types of patients are at highest risk of complications after open heart surgery?

Who’s most at risk?

  • your age – your risk of developing complications after surgery increases as you get older.
  • having another serious long-term health condition – having a condition such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or severe chronic kidney disease can increase your risk of complications.

Can open-heart surgery cause neurological problems?

Abstract. Cerebral damage remains a major hazard of open-heart surgery. A one-year follow-up investigation of 100 consecutive patients who underwent open-heart operation for valve replacement revealed an incidence of postoperative cerebral disorders of 37%.

What is pumphead after heart surgery?

The new results stand in contrast to the impact of heart-lung machines on so-called “pumphead” syndrome, the temporary memory loss, impaired vision and slurred speech observed right after surgery in many heart bypass patients.

What is the phrenic nerve damage symptoms?

The diagnosis of phrenic nerve injury requires high suspicion due to nonspecific signs and symptoms including unexplained shortness of breath, recurrent pneumonia, anxiety, insomnia, morning headache, excessive daytime somnolence, orthopnea, fatigue, and difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Can an epidural cause heart problems?

High thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) causes blockade of sympathetic fibers involved in innervation of the heart (segments T1-T4), which results in changes of cardiac electrophysiology.

Can epidural cause tachycardia?

Epidural anesthesia with lidocaine may cause tachycardia in a small percentage of patients and decreased FHR variability in other patients.