From Fear to Confidence: What Heart Surgery Recovery Really Looks Like

Sinar Daily

Many patients still fear heart surgery, often imagining weeks of being bedridden and unable to return to normal life.   But as CEO and Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at IJN Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ezani Md Taib explains, cardiac surgery today looks very different from what people think.   With advanced techniques, skilled teams and enhanced recovery protocols, patients at IJN are often up and walking by the second day after surgery.  By the fourth day, they’re already heading to the gym for treadmill or cycling exercises as part of their rehabilitation - a routine that surprises many who expected long-term weakness and immobility.   When patients learn this, their fears often soften, because they begin to see that recovery is not only possible but structured, guided and intentionally supported.  Watch the full episode here:  FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/reel/711600778017215  YOUTUBE:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UECLn7wtqwg&t=417s  X: https://x.com/sinardailymy/status/1981963942252679188/video/1  PORTAL: https://www.sinardaily.my/article/731193/videos/podcast/life-style-podcast-matters-of-the-heart-part-2-lessons-from-a-heart-surgeons-journey  #LifeStylePodcast #SinarDaily #HeartSurgery #CardiacCare #CardiothoracicSurgery #IJN #InstitutJantungNegara #MalaysiaHealthcare

Transcript

00:00It's very difficult for them to even actually imagine that on the second day after surgery,

00:05they are already doing their exercises, walking and they have to go to the gym.

00:09In IJN, they have to go to the gym on day four.

00:12Many Malaysians still fear of the hard surgery.

00:15Although, I mean, like now you have mentioned regarding the ISNAP is actually faster.

00:19I mean, the teams are much more well equipped, well, you know,

00:24I mean, they have a lot of, we have advanced in terms of now we have the enhanced recovery after surgery.

00:29But some of them are still worried because they feel that surgery is the last resort.

00:35So how do you actually reassure your patients?

00:38Because sometimes they are, some of them are still reluctant.

00:40They keep on coming, giving TCA again and again, but they still haven't come up through the decision for surgery.

00:45Well, actually the most important thing that has, you know, is explaining to the patient, right?

00:50So most of the time they think that after cardiac surgery, they will be bed bound for weeks.

00:57and you know, they cannot do their daily activities.

01:00So when you explain they, it's very difficult for them to even actually imagine that on the second day after surgery,

01:08they are already doing their exercises, walking and they have to go to the gym.

01:12In IJN, they have to go to the gym on day four, right?

01:15So they actually go down from the ward to the gym, do their treadmill or they do their cycling especially, right? Exercise.

01:23And it's a requirement. So for, when they hear that, then they realise that, hey, wait a minute, this is almost like nothing lah.

01:30You know what I mean? Of course there's risk. And we will always explain the risk.

01:35There's some patients that are low risk, there's some are high risk, you know.

01:39Some patients would not be able to have a quick recovery. We know, especially those with a poor heart or many risk factors.

01:46But in essence, when we explain to the patient and in, in Nigeria, we have what we call a palm talk, if I'm not sure you remember.

01:53So the patients will be shown videos of how the recovery is like and how the ICU is like.

01:59So when they see, they have an understanding of what happens to them.

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