The surgery can take several hours. The patient will wake up in an intensive care unit (ICU) and can expect to stay in the hospital for a few weeks. How quickly one recovers from surgery will depend largely on how healthy he was before the surgery. During this time, tests will be conducted to assess and monitor the patient’s condition. The patient and his family will also learn how to manage and care for the VAD and himself/herself, so that he/she can return to his/her normal life and routine after discharge from the hospital.
