Where will my incision(s) be after heart, lung, or vascular surgery?
Each surgery is different. For coronary artery bypass grafts (“open heart surgery”) and valve repairs and replacements, the incision is in the middle of the chest. It will be about the length of the sternum. There will also be an incision on your leg or arm where the vein is harvested to do the bypass. For removal of a significant portion of the lung, the incision is curved around the tip of the shoulder blade extending toward the impacted side. For a carotid endarterectomy (vascular surgery), the incision will be in your neck. The incision will be several inches long and will be right over your carotid artery (the artery that enables you to feel your pulse). For an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), the incision will be from the bottom of your breastbone to below your navel. All of your incisions will be closed with stitches under the skin that will naturally dissolve.
