For Patients

What to Expect: Cardiac Surgery at BIDMC

Information to help you prepare for and recover from heart surgery.

Guiding Our Patients Before and After Surgery

Before and after having heart surgery, you will receive extensive education from your cardiac surgery care team about how to prepare for surgery and what to expect when you go home.

Pre-operative instructions (PDF)
Post-operative instructions (PDF)
Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs (PDF)

If you have any questions, please be sure to ask your nurse or surgeon.

Videos: After Heart Surgery

Cardiac Post-Surgical Recovery Unit

Carefully Designed with Healing In Mind

A newly redesigned patient room on the cardiac surgery recovery floor at BIDMC. Our post-surgical recovery floor provides cardiac surgery patients with a quiet, soothing environment in which to recover after surgery. Marked by calming colors, light-filled rooms and corridors, and leafy treetop views, our post-surgical unit has been carefully designed to help promote healing.