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Research Alert: New Rapid Recovery Protocol for Sternotomy Patients

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Medical Expert: Marc Gerdisch, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery, Franciscan Health
Published: September 11, 2024

Over the past 10 years, we have learned a lot about the use Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERAS) guidelines. For example, we have learned about rapid recovery protocols that are designed to minimize patient pain using rigid sternal fixation and cryoanalgesia while decreasing opioid (narcotics) usage. Most recently, we learned about in-operating room ventilator tube removal.

Interestingly, we have also seen physicians leverage their learnings from minimally-invasive approaches to enhance the recoveries of open-chest (stenotomy) patients.

That said, I just received a very interesting research update from Dr. Marc Gerdisch, the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Franciscan Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. As you may know, Dr. Gerdisch has successfully treated over 100 heart valve patients in our community.

Rigid Sternal Fixation Opioid Free Cardiac Surgery

Dr. Gerdisch Reveals New Research

Here is what Dr. Gerdisch just emailed me:

Hi Adam, After we enjoyed great success with patient recovery from minimally-invasive surgery using cryoanalgesia nerve block, we pursued the same recovery path for our open chest (sternotomy) patients. The really good news is that our sternotomy patients now have exactly the same post-op orders and lack of restrictions that minimally-invasive patients enjoy.

Dr. Marc Gerdisch

The journey is described in a new research paper, that provides a roadmap to what will become standard of care.
Since the collection of this data, the only changes are a further decrease in length of stay (LOS) in the hospital and 60% in-operating room ventilator extubation. In other words, momentum created by this pathway led to changes in expectation and therefore our management strategy. Our goal has not only been to diminish pain and improve mobility but to condense the hospital process, eliminate the need for extended care facilities and return patients back to their normal full lives quickly.

The findings from this study are completely novel and have never been achieved before. -- Dr. Marc Gerdisch.

Free Instant Download

To learn more and download your free copy of Dr. Gerdisch's new research paper click here or click the image below.

Many Thanks Dr. Gerdisch!

On behalf of the patients in our community, many thanks to Dr. Marc Gerdisch for his ongoing and tireless commitment to enhancing patient recovery after heart surgery via sternotomy and minimally-invasive techniques.

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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