Your Journey
Arranging an Outpatient Appointment Prior to Surgery
Arranging an Outpatient Consultation Prior to Surgery
Please contact the Southampton Cardiac Surgery Associates office to arrange an outpatient appointment at whichever hospital is the most suitable for you to meet your surgeon.
Referrals will be accepted by any doctor however, it is preferable to receive a referral from a patient's Cardiologist or own GP if possible. Self referred patients will be accepted providing the appropriate clinical information is available.
If you have insurance, it is required that you notify your insurance company that you will be attending an outpatient consultation to ensure authorisation is provided.
Outpatient consultations are invoiced following the appointment.
What to Expect
At your 30 minute outpatient consultation you will have the opportunity to discuss the proposed surgery with your surgeon including the risks involved and any of your own fears and concerns. Prior to seeing your cardiac surgeon, some routine outpatient investigations may need to be carried out so that the cardiac surgeon consults you with current, up to date clinical information (ie chest x-ray, breathing test, ECG) and a nurse may also consult with you to familarise you with what to expect on admission and to pre-assess you ready for surgery. MRSA screening and blood tests will also be undertaken at this time.
It is likely that a date for surgery will be organised at the time of your consultation or the surgeon may suggest that you contact his secretary once you have had time to think about a date that is convenient to you.
Once an admission date has been agreed, arrangements will be made and confirmation documentation will be sent from the secretary detailing all relevant information required by your insurance company. You will need to provide this to your insurance company. Your insurance company will confirm authorisation. This will need to be provided to the surgeon's secretary for the admission to be confirmed with the hospital.
If you are not insured, an invoice will be sent directly to you for the outpatient consultation. You may wish to have your procedure covered by a Fixed Price Package (FPP) and a quote will be provided includes all hospital fees, surgeons fees, anaesthetist fees and a postoperative consultation. Once you have accepted the quote, the admission booking will be made. Full payment for a FPP is requested on the day of admission by credit card or cash, if paying by cheque the hospital will request payment seven days prior to surgery, if time allows.
Arranging your Cardiac Surgery
Following your outpatient consultation with your surgeon, it is likely that a date for surgery will be organised or your surgeon may suggest that you contact his secretary once you have had time to think about a date that is convenient to you.
Once an admission date has been agreed, arrangements will be made and confirmation documentation will be sent from the secretary detailing all relevant information required by your insurance company. You will need to provide this to your insurance company. Only then will your insurance company be able to confirm authorisation. This will need to be provided to the surgeon's secretary so the hospital can confirm the admission.
If you are not insured, an invoice will be sent directly to you for the outpatient consultation. You may wish to have your procedure covered by a Fixed Price Package (FPP) and a quote will be provided includes all hospital fees, surgeons fees, anaesthetist fees and a postoperative consultation. Once you have accepted the quote, the admission booking will be made. Full payment for a FPP is requested on the day of admission by credit card or cash, if paying by cheque the hospital will request payment seven days prior to surgery, if time allows.
What to Expect
You may be asked to discontinue certain medications up to one week prior to your admission and this will be confirmed in writing.
You will be admitted to whichever of our hospital partners is most suitable for your operation during the afternoon of the day before your surgery is planned. The surgeon and anaethetist will see you during this time and tests which are outstanding or need updating will be carried out. The surgery is undertaken the following day, routinely with one postoperative night in the Intensive Care Unit and an average length of inpatient stay of approximately one week. Following this arrangements will be made for your discharge and a postoperative outpatient consultation will be requested for 6-8 weeks from discharge.
Fee Schedule
Insured Cardiac Surgery
If you are insured, please provide your insurance details and gain an authorisation code prior to attending for your initial consultation.
It is the patient's responsibility to ensure their private health insurance company are aware of any active claim or current treatment, including outpatient consultations.
Self Funding Cardiac Surgery
Initial consultation fees apply to self funding patients. A fixed package price/inclusive price is available to include all hospital charges (including hospital stay, theatre costs, drugs and dressings etc), surgeon and anaesthetist fees as well as a follow up consultation and outpatient investigations.
Fixed Price Packages/Inclusive Care
If you require cardiac surgery but do not have private health insurance, a Fixed Price Package/Inclusive Care price can be provided.
The price includes all hospital fees (ie hospital stay, theatre charges, drugs and dressings, meals etc), all surgeons fees and anaesthetist fees, and follow up consultation. Please see guide prices below.
Fixed Price Package/Inclusive Care Fees
The complexity of the surgery, length of stay and other medical conditions may vary from patient to patient and will be assessed at the time of initial consultation. Prices will vary depending on risk factors and urgency.
Invoices/Accounts
It is our policy to send invoices directly to the insurers and a copy to the patient for their information.
Preparing for Your Heart Surgery
Following your outpatient consultation with your surgeon, it is likely that a date for surgery will be organised or your surgeon may suggest that you contact his secretary once you have had time to think about a date that is convenient to you.
Once an admission date has been agreed, arrangements will be made and confirmation documentation will be sent from the secretary detailing all relevant information required by your insurance company. You will need to provide this to your insurance company. Only then will your insurance company be able to confirm authorisation. This will need to be provided to the surgeon's secretary so the hospital can confirm the admission.
If you are not insured, an invoice will be sent directly to you for the outpatient consultation. You may wish to have your procedure covered by a Fixed Price Package (FPP) and a quote will be provided includes all hospital fees, surgeons fees, anaesthetist fees and a postoperative consultation. Once you have accepted the quote, the admission booking will be made. Full payment for a FPP is requested on the day of admission by credit card or cash, if paying by cheque the hospital will request payment seven days prior to surgery, if time allows.
What to Expect
You may be asked to discontinue certain medications up to one week prior to your admission and this will be confirmed in writing.
You will be admitted to the Spire Southampton Hospital during the afternoon of the day before your surgery is planned. The surgeon and anaethetist will see you during this time and tests which are outstanding or need updating will be carried out. The surgery is undertaken the following day, routinely with one postoperative night in the Intensive Care Unit and an average length of inpatient stay of approximately one week. Following this arrangements will be made for your discharge and a postoperative outpatient consultation will be requested for 6-8 weeks from discharge.
Contacts
Call the cardiac surgery secretaries on (023) 8120 4113.
Cardiac Surgery Office, North Wing, University Hospital Southampton, Tremona Rd, Southampton, SO16 6YD.
Your Heart Operation
Having a General Anaesthetic
The exact type of anaesthetic you are given depends on the procedure you are having. For most operations, anaesthesia is started with a drug injected through the cannula. Within seconds you will fall asleep and won't wake up again until after your operation is completed. This is known as the 'induction' of anaesthesia. It is also possible to induce anaesthesia with anaesthetic gases, breathed through a mask. Your anaesthetist will stay with you during the operation.
To keep you asleep, you will be given a mixture of oxygen and anaesthetic gases through a flexible tube put into your windpipe. This part of anaesthesia is known as 'maintenance'.
During the operation, you will be connected to machines that monitor the activity of your heart and other body systems. Your anaesthetist will keep a close check on your heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream.
Your Operation
You will have discussed and understood the particular operation your surgeon will be undertaking.
Learn More
After Your Heart Surgery
Going Home
Before you go home, a nurse will advise you on diet and caring for the healing wound, hygiene and bathing. You will be given a contact telephone number for the hospital and follow up arrangements will be made.
After You Return Home
If you need them, continue taking painkillers as advised by the hospital.
If you have a mechanical valve, you will need to take anticoagulants such as warfarin daily, possibly for life.
The stainless steel wires holding your chest together are permanent, as they do no harm once your sternum (breastbone) has healed. Your breastbone will take about 12 weeks to heal. You should not drive a car or do any heavy lifting or carrying for the first 6 weeks after the operation. Stitches or staples are usually removed before you leave the hospital, by your GP, or at your follow up consultation.
Rehabilitation & Long-term Care
Please download this pdf which will guide you through your rehabilitation and answer many of your questions:
What to Expect After Heart Surgery