[Limits of early ambulation following heart surgery from the surgical point of view]

The definition of early mobilization is not standardized, it varies from hospital to hospital. For the purpose of this study it was defined as the point in time at which a patient, after an operation with extracorporeal circulation, was moved from the intensive care unit to the ward; that mean value was 3.0 days. A number of negative factors could be identified which extended this value. Some of them could possibly be influenced medically, others seemed to be pre-determined and could eventually influence indication for surgery.