The Benefits of Postoperative Respiratory Splinting

Respiratory Splinting

If you have cardiac or thoracic surgery planned in the near future, then you’re also going to have many questions concerning the procedure. What is the procedure going to be like? How long is the recovery time expected to be for a procedure like this? Your surgeon will be able to answer the majority of these questions, however, having never gone through the procedure themselves, it may prove difficult to explain how it feels to have a surgical wound.

An unfortunate byproduct of surgery is pain. This is especially true after undergoing cardiac or thoracic surgery, where the chest needs to be opened up. There are many things that can be done about pain, such as medication or therapy. Another antidote for pain after surgery, specifically surgery that requires a chest closure, is a device that offers postoperative chest support. Heart Hugger specializes in giving patients sternum stabilization following a surgery, giving them the support they need during recovery.

The benefits of postoperative sternal support include:

  • On-Demand Pain Management- The road to recovery may be long, but you can make it easier on yourself by employing a medical device like Heart Hugger. Since it is patient operated, the device is on demand when you need it. During coughing, moving around, or needing to get up, having this on demand option is remarkable during recovery.
  • Application of Uniform Pressure- Those who have had a surgery that requires opening the chest understand the recovery process better than anyone. Heart Hugger provides uniform pressure to the wound so that it will be stabilized correctly. Cardiac surgery rehabilitation also calls for certain procedures like coughing, and applying uniform pressure to the wound during this time is the key to pain management.
  • It Fosters Independence- During a time of recovery, you are forced to rely on many different people in order to conduct even the most basic tasks. Although necessary, it can have an effect on the person who values their independence. Heart Hugger allows a person to gain an amount of independence because a device that provides sternal stability will foster independence in that user. Because it’s patient operated, the you’re put in charge of your recovery.

While there are many other numerous benefits of utilizing postoperative chest support for recovering patients, the aforementioned points are very important. If you are going into surgery soon and would like to learn more about sternum stabilization, contact us today!