Bentall Procedure: Symptoms, Classification, Diagnosis & Recovery

A few weeks before the Bentall surgery, you can expect your doctor to tell you to stop a few medications. Around the same time, you can make a few preparations at home to plan your arrival after the surgery and accordingly arrange for a transport as well. You will be asked to undergo a few tests, including a chest X-ray, a few blood tests, an ECG, and an ultrasound the blood vessels that supply to the brain through the neck (Carotid Doppler test).

Just before the day of the Bentall procedure, you will be asked to take laxatives to clear your bowel, if required. You need to stop eating and drinking from midnight before the day of the surgery.

Bentall procedure recovery time varies from one patient to the other. It actually depends on the overall health of the patient and how successfully the procedure was conducted. Immediately after the procedure, you can expect to spend a day or two in the intensive care unit (ICU). During your stay in the ICU, you will be connected to machines that monitor your vital signs such as breathing, temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.

You should take time to recover well after the surgery. Do not rush things and start with the normal routine as soon as you are shifted back home. You are likely to spend a few days in a normal hospital room before discharge. The surgeon will monitor your progress and give a green signal for discharge at the right time. You must take care of the wound and stitches once you get home. Additionally, make a note of any discomfort, palpitations, pain, fever, blurred vision, and poor appetite and inform it to your doctor. It may take around six to eight weeks to regain normal mobility. Take help from a nurse or a family member while lying down or standing up. You will be taught a safer technique to roll and sit in bed. Remember to follow whatever your doctor suggests you to minimize your recovery duration.