by T. Sloane Guy, MD | Aug 4, 2019
This is a common question. The patient can take a shower as soon as they get home. I generally recommend waiting 1 week before getting into a bath tub, hot tub, or pool to give time for the incisions to “seal off”. It is important to keep the wounds clean with soap... by T. Sloane Guy, MD | Aug 4, 2019
Most patients can travel or fly within 1-2 weeks following endoscopic robotic mitral valve repair or similar procedures. Of course, everybody responds differently to surgery and some may not be able to. If a patient has complications from surgery this could delay the... by T. Sloane Guy, MD | Aug 4, 2019
The length varies depending on the patient and the complexity of the procedure. The actual surgical part of the operation is only 3-4 hours long. However, the preparatory time for the procedure and the initial recovery time means you may be in the operating room for... by T. Sloane Guy, MD | Aug 4, 2019
The simple answer is yes. The pain should be much less than for patients who undergo a standard operation through the breast bone. Most of the pain seems to abate within a few days. We usually do a local anesthetic pain block the morning of surgery which seems to... by T. Sloane Guy, MD | Aug 4, 2019
A typical patient will stay in the hospital for 2-3 days after surgery. Not all patients are discharged this early for a variety of reasons. Most patients are 80-90% within 1-2 weeks. Some patients take longer to recover. There are no special precautions after surgery... 
