Learn about going home after TAH surgery, ongoing medical care you need, and possible complications of living with a TAH. If you are on the waiting list for a heart transplant, you will stay in close contact with the transplant center.
Slowly increase your activity level
Your recovery will continue after you go home. Once you are at home, you will need to slowly increase your activity level, protect and care for your TAH, and get the right nutrition and exercise.
When you go home after TAH surgery, you will likely be able to do more activities than you could before the surgery. The machine with the power supply and device controls is portable, so you will probably be able to get out of bed, get dressed, and move around the house. You may even be able to drive. Your healthcare team will advise you on the level of activity that is safe for you.
Protect and care for your TAH
Your healthcare team will explain how to troubleshoot your TAH, change or charge the portable device’s batteries, and respond to alarms.
A TAH is attached to a power source outside your body through holes in your abdomen. These holes increase the risk of bacteria getting in and causing an infection. Your doctor may tell you how often to check your temperature as part of your routine care. You may also need to take special steps before you bathe, shower, or swim. Your healthcare team will explain how to make sure that the tubes going through your skin do not get wet. They also will recommend that you avoid steam baths and dry saunas, which can overheat the TAH driver.
Get the right nutrition and physical activity
While you recover from TAH surgery, it is important that you get good nutrition. Talk with your healthcare team about following a proper eating plan for recovery.
Your healthcare team may recommend a supervised physical activity program. Physical activity can give your body the strength that it needs to recover. During the months or years before surgery when your heart was not working well, the muscles in your body may have weakened. Building up the muscles again will allow you to do more activities and feel less tired.
Ongoing care
You will have regular checkups with your healthcare team to check your progress and make sure that your TAH is working well. There is a chance that you may have problems with your TAH. In some cases, you may need surgery again.
Medicines
You will need to take anticlotting medicine to prevent dangerous blood clots as long as you have a TAH. Regular blood tests will help determine the correct dose.
You also will need to take medicine to try to prevent infections. Your doctor may tell you how often to check your temperature to make sure you do not have a fever, which can be a warning sign of infection.
Make sure to take all your medicines as prescribed and report any side effects to your doctor.
Heart transplant
If you are on the waiting list for a heart transplant, you will likely be in close contact with the transplant center. Most donor hearts must be transplanted within four hours after removal from the donor.
You need to be prepared to arrive at the hospital within two hours of being notified about a donor heart.
Emotional health
Getting a TAH may cause fear, anxiety, and stress. If you are waiting for a heart transplant, you may worry that the TAH will not keep you alive long enough to get a new heart. You may feel overwhelmed or depressed.
These feelings are common for someone going through major heart surgery. Talk with your healthcare team about how you feel. Talking to a professional counselor also can help. If you are very depressed, your doctor may recommend medicines or other treatments that can improve your quality of life.
Support from family and friends can help relieve stress and anxiety. Let your loved ones know how you feel and what they can do to help you.
Problems with your device
There is a risk that the TAH will have problems and not work properly. For example, the device may not have the correct pumping action, the power source may fail, or parts may stop working well. Talk with your healthcare team about how to spot potential problems and what to do if a problem occurs.
If you have a TAH, you may want to download the product manual from the manufacturer site and visit Medical Device Recallsexternal link to learn about FDA recalls for these devices and their components.