Heart Bypass Surgery: Purpose & Procedure

 Heart bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, is performed to improve the heart's blood flow. A surgeon can bypass the damaged arteries by removing blood vessels from another body part. Worldwide about 200,000 of life saving heart surgeries are done by doctors annually.

Contrary to popular belief, there are numerous misconceptions concerning bypass surgery, and many believe it can have negative outcomes. Individuals with blockages that cover more than 70% of their arteries are candidates for this surgery since angioplasty, which involves placing stents in the arteries to enhance blood flow, is ineffective. Some basic factors about bypass surgery are addressed by Dr. Sujay Shad, Professor, Senior Consultant in Cardiac Surgery, Director of Cardiac Transplants at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and the top heart doctor in Delhi.

What is Heart Bypass Surgery?

Heart bypass surgery is performed when coronary arteries become clogged or damaged. The oxygenated blood is delivered to the heart by these arteries. If these arteries are blocked, or blood flow is restricted, the heart cannot work properly. This may result in heart failure.

Bypass surgery is one of the most popular kinds of open-heart surgery. Most people have great outcomes and enjoy a decade or longer of symptom-free living. One will still require a balanced diet, regular exercise, and perhaps medication to stop more blockages. However, before the procedure, one should be aware of what to expect, how to prepare, potential difficulties, and the course of the recovery.

Why Does One Need a Heart Bypass?

The symptoms of coronary artery disease are treated with bypass surgery. This occurs when plaque, a waxy substance, accumulates inside the arteries of the heart and prevents blood and oxygen from getting to it.

Heart bypass surgery may be recommended by the doctor if,

• One experiences severe chest discomfort that the doctor believes is caused by a blockage in a number of the arteries that carry blood to the heart.
• The left ventricle, which pumps the majority of the blood, isn't functioning as it should because at least one of the coronary arteries is diseased.
• The left main coronary artery, which supplies the majority of the blood to the left ventricle, is blocked.
• Other procedures one has undergone either didn't work or made the arteries narrower once more.
• One now has obstructions.

A coronary artery disease can result in heart attack. It can result in a blood clot and stop the flow of blood. The sufferer can benefit greatly from a bypass procedure.

What Happens During a Heart Bypass?

Most procedures last between three and six hours. One will be sleeping off the entire time. The doctor will place a breathing tube in the patient's mouth. It is connected to a ventilator, which will take care of breathing during and immediately after the procedure.

• The heart surgeon will cut down the chest from the centre. The patient’s rib cage will then be spread open, allowing the surgeon access to the heart.
• The patient’s heart will be momentarily stopped using medicines by the surgical team. While the heart isn't beating, a device known as a heart-lung machine will keep blood and oxygen moving through the patient's body.
• A blood vessel, known as a graft, will then be removed by the surgeon from another area of the body, such as the chest, leg, or arm. One end of it will be connected to the patient's aorta, a sizable artery that leaves the heart. The second end is then attached to an artery that is below the obstruction.
• Due to the graft, the blood now has a new pathway to the heart. The surgeon might do several bypass procedures during the same procedure if one has many blockages (double bypass, triple bypass, etc.).
• The surgeon might not need to stop the heart in some circumstances. Others merely require minor trims. These procedures are named "keyhole." They are referred to as "off-pump" procedures.
• Robotic surgical tools are used during some operations. The optimal surgery for one will be suggested by the heart surgeon after a proper examination.

Before the procedure, one should discuss these with the surgeon. One will be able to exercise more, and the chances of suffering a heart attack will be reduced. The procedure can lengthen one’s life, which is the best part. 

One can get the best heart bypass surgery done by the renowned heart surgeon Dr. Sujay Shad at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, heart hospital in Delhi. The doctor will first thoroughly examine the patient before making the best recommendations. 

Visit Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to learn more about the bypass surgery cost in Delhi.