Section 1: What the ICU Looks Like
The intensive care unit after heart surgery can feel overwhelming at first. There are monitors, tubes, wires, and a lot of activity. This is completely normal — you are receiving the highest level of care available.
When you first regain consciousness after CABG surgery, you will be in the cardiac ICU (sometimes called the CVICU).
EQUIPMENT
You may have:
- A breathing tube in your throat connected to a ventilator — removed within 6–12 hours of surgery. You will not be able to speak while it is in place.
- Chest tubes draining fluid and air from around your heart and lungs — removed within 1–3 days
- A urinary catheter to drain your bladder
- IV lines in your neck or arm
- Continuous heart monitor leads on your chest
- A pulse oximeter on your finger
- An automatically inflating blood pressure cuff
This setup is temporary. Tubes and lines are removed one by one as you stabilize, typically over the first 24–48 hours.
⚕ A note from Heart Health HQ: ICU nurses in cardiac units care for one to two patients at a time. They are highly trained. Use your call button — they want to hear from you.