In open-heart surgeries, the surgeon will make a 6- to 8-inch incision (cut) right in the middle of your chest wall. The surgeon will cut the breastbone and open the rib cage to reach your heart. All major precautions are taken in the process. The patient will be given medication to thin out the blood and to keep it from clotting. A breathing tube, connected to the ventilator, will be placed in the lungs through the throat.