Nutrition Before & After the Operation

In planning heart surgery, we also need to redesign our eating habits to lead a longer and healthier life. The best option is to consult a dietician when the surgery is planned. Firstly, eating highly fatty and sugary foods in excessive amounts with the idea that “Soon I am going to undergo a surgery anyway” may cause serious problems, in the pre- and post-operative days. Conversely, if there is enough time before the operation, loosing a couple of pounds can actually have a positive effect on the course of the operation. Being overweight is a risk factor for any operation. Yet, it is not considered to be high risk factor anymore. Chewing the food properly, having 3-4 portions of fruits and 2-3 portions (10-12 spoonful) of vegetable dish per day and consuming dairy products (milk/yogurt) on a regular basis helps maintain the weight control and regulate blood sugar and pressure.

After the operation, your nutrition program at the hospital is managed by the staff dieticians, who also train you for the coming days at home.

Usually, in the early post-op days, a protein and energy rich nutrition program is designed for the patient. After the discharge, patient tend to employ a very rigid diet, which is actually quite wrong.

Obviously, an operation is a trauma for the body. Protein consumption is crucial for accelerating the amelioration of the traumatized part, the scar. Since the protein resources also contain high cholesterol, it is thought that consuming protein-rich food has to be avoided in the post-op term. On the other hand, one may consume protein resources in the healthy fashion. For instance, red meat, eggs, white meat and poultry meat stand as quality protein resources. However, after the operation, patients tend to prefer chicken breast, which is wrong. In addition to meeting the protein need of the body red meat consumption is vital for the intake of minerals like iron and zinc. Certainly, one must avoid excessive consumption.

Although this depends on the patient’s individual characteristics, consuming 90-120 gr (3-4 meatballs) of red or white meat per day is crucial for healthy nutrition. A higher amount is allowable for fish. However, fried fish or other casserole dishes prepared with too much fat/oil is not recommended, since this may increase the oil intake. Normally, grilled fish is recommended as 350 gr, twice a week.

Nutrition After Minimally Invasive Surgery (Operation with a Small Scar)
Compared to the routine open-heart surgery, minimally invasive surgery involves a fairly less severe trauma. However, it is very wrong to disregard all nutritive recommendations following a minimally invasive surgery. Certainly, the small size of the scar is an advantage, but one must keep in mind that there has been a certain dysfunction in the cardiovascular system. Sufficient amount of protein and energy intake is crucial. In the post-op term of a minimally invasive operation, patients should consume meat, fish, poultry, legume and eggs, to meet the protein need.

It is recommended to have an egg every day. Although, egg is a healthy nutritive, it may become quite the opposite, depending on the way it is cooked. For instance, when fried in butter/oil, eggs lead to the intake of an unnecessary amount of fat. Similarly, when consuming meat, preparing it as grilled or roasted, rather than fried or stewed in oil/butter, would be healthier for the cardiac system in the long run.

Minimal invaziv cerrahi sonrası (Küçük yaradan ameliyat)

Compared to the routine open-heart surgery, minimally invasive surgery involves a fairly less severe trauma. However, it is very wrong to disregard all nutritive recommendations following a minimally invasive surgery. Certainly, the small size of the scar is an advantage, but one must keep in mind that there has been a certain dysfunction in the cardiovascular system. Sufficient amount of protein and energy intake is crucial. In the post-op term of a minimally invasive operation, patients should consume meat, fish, poultry, legume and eggs, to meet the protein need.

It is recommended to have an egg every day. Although, egg is a healthy nutritive, it may become quite the opposite, depending on the way it is cooked. For instance, when fried in butter/oil, eggs lead to the intake of an unnecessary amount of fat. Similarly, when consuming meat, preparing it as grilled or roasted, rather than fried or stewed in oil/butter, would be healthier for the cardiac system in the long run.

Mitral Valve Operations

Mitral Valve Repair

Today, most mitral valve patients can be treated through the repair of their valves, which eliminates the need for a valve replacement. This allows the patient to live without having to take blood thinner drugs (warfarin such as coumadin etc.), which affects nutrition and life quality and necessitates frequent blood testing. After the operation, patients’ need for protein and energy increases significantly. Unless this need is met properly, the scar healing gets decelerated. In order to avoid repetition of the problems after the valve repair, it is important to maintain the ideal bodyweight of the patient in the long run. While avoiding taking too much salt, patients should do their best not to gain weight. In case the patient has blood pressure problems, your physician or dietician may recommend restricting salt consumption. One should always bear in mind that weight gain puts extra burden on the heart and thus on the valves.

Patients who undergo mitral valve repair operation do not need to take blood thinners. Therefore, they are not asked to restrict their intake of foods that interact with blood thinner medication. In fact, this advantage of valve repair facilitates the post-op life of the patient.

Mitral Valve Replacement Operations (where warfarin use is required)

This operation type is preferred in cases where mitral valve is irreparable. After the operation the patients must take blood-thinner drugs for the rest of their lives. It is known that certain foods interact with the blood-thinner drugs, therefore patients are required to beware. Rather than restricting the foods, we recommend maintaining a moderate habit, concerning your nutrition. After the operation, your physician makes a blood-thinner drug intake, according to the food consumption of an average person.

Return to home and start to normal life

After the discharge, when you get back home to your normal life, you will have to have your blood tested for the clotting time on a regular basis. In a couple of months, you will find the blood-thinner drug intake protocol best for you. In case, you make an important and palpable change in your lifestyle and especially in your nutrition habits, you must contact your doctor. Note that blood-thinner drugs interact with Vitamin K. In general, green leaved vegetables (lettuce, spinach, romaine, scallion, cress, roquette, parsley, thyme, cabbage, okra etc.) are Vitamin K-rich.

Consumption of these vegetables is not totally forbidden. However, having lettuce salad in every meal or consume okra, spinach or mangold for three days in a row increases the Vitamin K intake severely, which reduces the effect of the blood-thinner drug. Instead of staying away from them, reducing the consumption amount of Vitamin K-rich foods would be more beneficial and improve life quality. Even though dried thyme, parsley or cress are also Vitamin K-rich, they cannot be consumed more than just a pinch. Therefore, you do not need to limit the consumption of dried vegetables.

In conclusion, nutrition after cardiac surgery is crucial to avoid the repetition of diseases and accelerate the healing in the post-op term. Physicians recommend an energy- and protein-rich diet in the early weeks following the operation. In the long run, a diet that will maintain the ideal bodyweight is recommended.

Click here for detailed information about blood-thinner drug (warfarin [Coumadin]) use!