After the operation

After your operation, you will awake in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or High Dependency Unit (HDU).

You will be monitored closely for between 12-24 hours, until you have regained consciousness then, once fully awake, you will be transferred to the ward. It is normal to wake up with a breathing tube in your throat. The tube will be removed soon after you wake and oxygen, via a mask, will be used to improve your breathing.

You will notice your heart is being monitored and there are tubes in your neck, arms, chest and bladder. Do not be alarmed, as this is usual procedure. The tubes in your neck and arms give you medications, those in your chest drain any excess fluid that collects in your chest after surgery (you may see some blood in these tubes, which is quite normal) and a catheter in your bladder drains your urine.

It can be noisy in the ICU/HDU as many machines are used to monitor you. It is quite normal to feel a bit disorientated when you wake up here due to these noises, but this will soon pass. You will also feel very sleepy and it is okay to sleep as much as you need for a few days.