PREPARATION AND AFTER-TREATMENT OF PATIEN TS UNDERGOING OPEN-HEART-SURGERY

Establishing the optimal conditions for planned cardiac operations is of great importance in view of the rising hospital costs and the incre asing number of multimorbid patients. Therefore concomitant organ disf unctions (lungs, liver, kidneys, nerval system) carefully should be as sessed and, if possible, pretreated. Bacterial sources bear the risk o f severe infections and should be eliminated, especially in operations that are likely to utilize artificial materials. An autologous blood donation is indicated in every elective operation and safely can be pe rformed in the majority of patients. For treatment of perioperative co mplications the cardiac surgical unit posesses a variety of mechanical organ assist devices including circulatory support systems. The long- term after-treatment depends on the kind of surgical procedure (antico agulation, prevention of endocarditis) and also includes risk factor s trategies as well as measures of rehabilitation.