Surgery and Recovery

It is normal to take most of the day to prepare your child for surgery, perform the surgery, monitor after surgery, and transfer your child to the intensive care unit (ICU).

The ICU is an area of the hospital designed to care for children that require a lot of medical attention, and this is where your child will begin their recovery after cardiac surgery.

It is impossible to predict events in the ICU and this is often a very stressful time for parents.

It’s important that you talk with your child’s medical professionals about their care and learn who to ask when you have questions or concerns.

At most hospitals your child will transition to a cardiac acute care unit after leaving the ICU because it has specialized equipment and staff to provide ongoing cardiac care.

Your care team in the hospital will work with you to decide when your child’s health is stable and it is safe for them to go home.