What kind of nutritious diet is needed after atrial fibrillation surgery

The diet after atrial fibrillation surgery is actually not that complex. In the first 3 days, priority is given to stabilizing blood potassium and reducing esophageal irritation. 1-3 months after discharge from the hospital, choose well-digested foods to reduce metabolic burden. It is enough to follow your own chronic disease management rhythm for a long time. There is no need to take supplements or excessive dietary restrictions.

When I had radiofrequency ablation last year, I was in the same ward as Lao Chen. As soon as he could eat after the operation, his family brought him a thick ginseng soup that he had been cooking all afternoon. The next day after drinking it, his blood potassium dropped to 3.2, and he had frequent premature beats. He had to take potassium supplements for an extra day. He was supposed to be discharged from the hospital the next day, but he had to stay for two extra days. Don’t think you have to drink thick soup to replenish your body after surgery. The core of your diet in the first few days is to stabilize blood potassium. Low potassium is the most common cause of premature beats or even recurrence of atrial fibrillation after surgery. If you don’t have diabetes, eat two bites of bananas, oranges, or soft boiled spinach or kelp, which is more effective than any other soup.

By the way, there is a special point to pay attention to when performing radiofrequency ablation. The posterior wall of the left atrium is next to the esophagus. The heat of ablation will affect the esophageal mucosa to some extent. The peristalsis of the esophagus will be much weaker than usual in the first week after the operation. I wanted to eat a freshly steamed bun on the third day after the operation. I took a bite that was so hot that my esophagus hurt, and I was told a lot by the bedside doctor. Later I learned that I had to avoid hot food that had just come out of the pot, hard brittle bones, and fried dry and hard snacks. It was safe to eat only warm and soft food, and to avoid more troublesome problems if the mucous membrane was damaged.

There is a lot of debate on the Internet now about whether protein supplements can be taken after surgery. Some people say that protein should be completely banned for half a month to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, while others say that two spoons of protein powder a day should be used to supplement immunity. I specifically asked my attending doctor at that time. In fact, as long as you don’t have obvious nausea or difficulty swallowing after the operation, you can eat some steamed eggs, soft-cooked tender chicken breasts, and peeled shrimps. These high-quality proteins are conducive to the recovery of the mucosa, and there is no need to completely prohibit them. As for protein powder, unless you have hypoalbuminemia before the operation and the doctor specifically tells you to take it, the amount of protein in the normal diet is completely sufficient. Taking too much will put a burden on the kidneys and is a waste of money.

When I was discharged from the hospital, my elderly family member was thinking about making bone soup for me every day, but I stopped him. I have high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation itself is closely related to the three highs. The soup is full of fat and purine. After drinking it, my blood pressure and blood lipids will rise, which will easily increase the risk of recurrence. Later, my wife cooked me some warm porridge with chopped green vegetables and shrimps, and some stir-fried soft and tender vegetables. It was comfortable to eat and my index remained stable.

As for whether I can drink coffee or alcohol, the patients around me also have different opinions. Some say they can’t touch coffee in this life, and some say drinking less red wine can promote blood circulation. In fact, there is no completely unified statement in the academic world. I usually have the habit of drinking weak coffee. I tried drinking a small cup of decaffeinated coffee one month after the operation, and I didn't feel panicked. Later, I asked the doctor and they said that as long as you don't feel uncomfortable after drinking it, it doesn't need to be completely fixed. However, it is really recommended not to touch alcohol for at least 3 months. After all, alcohol itself will stimulate the ectopic excitement points in the atria. I recovered well, but it was not worth it to relapse after a sip of alcohol.

In fact, this surgery itself is a minimally invasive surgery. You don’t need to be crazy about your diet. Pay more attention to the key points mentioned above and adjust according to your body’s feelings. Most people can return to a normal eating rhythm in one or two months without being too anxious.