Surgery
The decision about surgery is based on your baby’s heart problem. Some heart problems have to be fixed within the first several days to weeks after birth. Other problems can wait until the child is older. Sometimes the repair takes more than one operation.
Care After Surgery
After surgery, your baby will be cared for in the hospital’s Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU). Your baby might be on a breathing machine after surgery. There will be many tubes, wires and equipment that help to closely watch your baby and give care after surgery. Many doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and respiratory therapists will make changes to your baby’s medicines and breathing machine often. This will happen the most in the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
Other treatments your baby will probably get after surgery are:
- Antibiotics to prevent infection
- Fluids and nutrition given through an IV or PICC line
- Heart medicines by IV or by mouth
- Chest drainage tube
- Oxygen
- Pain medicines
- A tube placed through the nose into the stomach (nasogastric [NG] tube) to keep the stomach empty
- Blood transfusions, when needed