Are Patients Ready to Go On with Their Life after Cardiac Surgery?

Objectives: Cardiac surgery provides high tech medicine and intensive care, which comes at high, well known costs. Afterward, however, patients may require additional care and auxiliaries. This study analyses what additional needs patients have and how cardiac surgery affects their work life.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, all elective patients presenting for cardiac surgery were included. One year after surgery, they were contacted again to fill a questionnaire via phone call or conventional mail.

Result: A total of 250 patients were included preoperatively; 202 were able and willing to respond postoperatively. Mean age was 67 ± 9 years, 78.1% were male. The questions were answered 13.38 ± 4.22 months after surgery. The majority of patients took part in the German rehabilitation program (3.2 ± 3.1 weeks). 31.2% were still working preoperatively, but only 22.8% at the time of contact. 7.9% of all had reached retirement within the year after surgery. Preoperatively they worked for 36.7 ± 12.3 hours per week, which dropped to 34.5 ± 14.5 hours weekly. Those being in the active work force reported to earn 1.882,72€ preoperatively, which dropped slightly to 1.681,88€ (p = 0.399). The household income changed from 3.23322€ to 2.98746€ (p = 0.596). Most of them (61.4%) stayed at home for more 90 days. There were no significant differences regarding the procedure the patients went through (CABG, valve replacement, combination of both). Females earned less than males (p = 0.039) pre- and postoperatively.

As the main part of patients undergoing cardiac surgery belongs to the elder population, 58.91% were already retired at the time of surgery. Their income dropped slightly from 1.28811€ to 1.230,64 (p = 0.733) and the household income from 2.37582 to 2.32473 (p = 0.787). The auxiliaries that were obtained by this group include: walking frame (10.92%) walking stick (3.36%), wheelchair (0%), bathtub lift (1.68%), and adjustable bed (0.84%). They were not required for patients working actively.

Conclusion: Cardiac surgery seems to help keeping young patients active and in the workforce. Still the majority of working patients needed more than 90 days for their recovery. Elderly patients required new auxiliaries when returning home. The German social security system is obviously able to taking care of serious illnesses and the recovery process financially.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 February 2021