Heart Hugger provides sternum stabilization, allowing patients to avoid potential complications and a safe and early return to normal respiratory levels.
Protecting the Sternum
During the heart surgery recovery period, it's critical to protect the sternal closure. The four basic principles to bone fracture management apply to cardiovascular and thoracic surgery.
- Realigning of the broken bone.
- Holding the bone in place for increased stability, but with the flexibility required for the healing process and regular breathing.
- Preserving the blood supply to the bone and soft tissue surrounding the injured area.
- Early rehabilitation and a safe return to normal movement.
Why Heart Hugger?
Traditional methods of sternum stabilization included encouraging heart and thoracic surgery patients to use a pillow. This practice has limited results, and may even discourage mobility. Coughs and sneezes are often unexpected, and patients may feel unprepared if their pillow is not nearby. Carrying a pillow while walking is difficult even in the best of circumstances, and patients may simply avoid movement to reduce pain and to keep their pillow within reach.
Coughing and sneezing place tremendous pressure on the sternum. With 60 to 90 pounds of pressure with each cough or sneeze, patients can experience pain and discomfort each time. Stabilization with Heart Hugger can help patients follow through with their breathing exercises. When recovering patients realize they can have more control over their pain, they're more likely to keep to perform their prescribed activities and ultimately experience a shorter recovery period. Heart Hugger replaces a patient's need for a pillow for sternum stabilization and pain management, providing more opportunities for mobility and completing breathing exercises.
Heart Hugger is simple to use and helps recovering thoracic and heart surgery patients manage their pain through improved sternum stabilization. For more information, contact us at Heart Hugger today!