Coronary artery bypass grafting is an open-heart surgical procedure by which a healthy vein or artery from the body is connected to a blocked artery in the heart, bypassing the blocked portion and facilitating improved blood flow to heart muscle. The surgery is most often performed on patients with severe coronary artery disease, especially those with weakened pumping function. After surgery, physical therapy is recommended to reduce possible consequences of prolonged bed rest, enhance heart function, and restore you to your daily activities.
Breathing Exercises
Often, chest tubes will be placed after open-heart surgery to drain fluid from the lungs and maintain their stability. After the chest tubes are removed, a respiratory therapist will likely begin chest physical therapy to prevent atelectasis, or partial or complete collapse of the lung, and help the patient move any secretions out of the lungs. The activities involved in this type of therapy may include effective coughing techniques, deep breathing exercises, and positional changes such as turning, sitting up in bed, and even walking short distances.
Daily Functioning Activities
Starting as early as one day after surgery, the physician may prescribe early and frequent physical therapy. Therapy will be aimed at restoring your normal pattern of daily functioning. The program may include exercises for range of motion, muscle strengthening, and coordination. Whole body movement may begin at walking in short bursts in the room, then walking the length of the corridor, and finally progress to climbing stairs. You will likely be evaluated prior to surgery to ascertain your capabilities and limitations so that a customized program can be made.
Long-Term Cardiac Rehabilitation
Approximately six weeks after surgery, the physician may recommend a more intense program referred to as cardiac rehabilitation. The program is conducted on an outpatient basis and usually supervised by a trained medical professional and exercise physiologist. You may be instructed to perform aerobic exercises, such as walking on the treadmill and riding a stationary bicycle, while heart rate and rhythm are monitored to ensure safety. The goals of cardiac rehab are to maximize strength, prevent regression of your condition, and reduce the likelihood of future heart problems.
Considerations
Physical therapy following coronary artery bypass grafting is an integral part of the recovery process. With therapy, you may reap such benefits as restored physical strength, a shortened hospital stay and continued cardiac health. Because those who undergo open-heart surgery have various levels of functioning, individualized programs should be used. Perform activities as prescribed by your surgeon or physician, under the supervision of a certified physical therapist.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- "The Annals of Thoracic Surgery"; Exercise therapy after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a randomized comparison of a high and low frequency exercise therapy program; Inge D. van der Peijl, et al.; October 2003
- "Chest"; Deep-Breathing Exercises Reduce Atelectasis and Improve Pulmonary Function after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery; Elisabeth Westerdahl, et al.; November 2005
- "Physical Therapy Clinical Handbook for PTAs"; Olga Dreeben; 2008.
