After the operation, you will spend 5 to 7 days in the hospital. You will spend the first few hours in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Two to 3 tubes will be in your chest to drain fluid from around your heart. They are usually removed 1 to 3 days after surgery.

You may have a catheter (flexible tube) in your bladder to drain urine. You may also have intravenous (IV) lines for fluids. There will be monitors that give information about your vital signs (pulse, temperature, and breathing). Nurses will watch your monitors constantly.

Usually within 24 hours, you will be moved to a regular or a transitional care unit in the hospital, and you will slowly resume some activity. You may begin a cardiac rehabilitation program within a few days.

It takes 4 to 6 weeks to start feeling better after surgery.

Recovery from surgery takes time, and you may not see the full benefits of your surgery for 3 to 6 months. In most people who have heart bypass surgery, the grafts remain open and working well for many years.

But, this surgery does NOT prevent the coronary artery blockage from coming back. You can do many things to slow it down. Not smoking, eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and treating high blood pressure, high blood sugar (if you have diabetes), and high cholesterol will all help and are very important.

You may be more likely to have problems with your blood vessels if you have kidney disease or some other medical problems.