difference between open heart surgery and closed heart surgery - #20294
I am trying to wrap my head around what's going on with my dad. He's been having some major heart problems and they mentioned both open heart surgery and something called closed heart surgery. I dont even fully understand the difference between open heart surgery and closed heart surgery. The doctors seem really optimistic about moving forward, but I can't stop worrying. The other day we were sitting together, and he just looked really tired and weak after all these tests. They kept mentioning the bypass and valve replacements. Is open heart surgery way more invasive? I keep thinking about how it's a whole different ballgame than closed heart surgery. Like, do they literally cut through the chest for open? And with this closed heart surgery, what’s actually the deal? Can they fix things without such a big cut? I read somewhere that recovery times might be different too? My head is spinning! What should I be asking the doctors about the difference between open heart surgery and closed heart surgery? Are there risks that we should worry about with one over the other? Any tips for kinda understanding this better?
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