Heart Bypass Surgery: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Procedure, And More

Heart bypass surgery is used to treat a blocked artery bypassing a blocked artery to improve blood flow to the heart. The surgeon uses a healthy blood channel from another part of the body to connect to the beginning and end of the obstruction, allowing blood to flow in a different direction. This new channel allows blood to pass through the restricted area, allowing more blood to reach the heart.

Coronary artery disease is treated with heart bypass surgery. Plaque, a waxy substance inside the heart's arteries, blocks blood and oxygen from reaching it. Depending upon the complexity of the surgery the bypass surgery cost in Delhi is determined by the heart bypass surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr. Sujay Shad.

Depending on how many arteries are blocked, there are four main types of heart bypass surgery:

• Single-bypass surgery
• Double bypass surgery
• Triple bypass surgery
• Quadruple bypass surgery.

 Symptoms of blocked arteries

• Coronary artery disease occurs when the coronary arteries become obstructed.
• Numerous factors contribute to this, including genetics, lifestyle, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. As the arteries narrow and the heart loses oxygen, symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, or even a heart attack occur, in which a piece of the heart muscle dies from a lack of oxygen.
• Angina is commonly described as chest discomfort but not constantly uncomfortable. Most patients describe it as an uncomfortable feeling or tightness in the chest, with discomfort in the left arm, shoulder, jaw, or abdomen.
• Some people with coronary artery disease do not experience any discomfort or tightness and may even have a so-called silent heart attack. Women and diabetics are more prone to this.

Why is Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery done?

Coronary artery bypass surgery is performed for two reasons: to ease coronary artery disease (CAD) symptoms such as angina and to improve survival when there are significant or many blockages in the heart arteries. When medical treatments such as blood thinners and drugs that relax the arteries, lower the heart rate and lessen chest pain have not been able to improve symptoms of CAD, it is performed either as an emergency procedure after a heart attack or as an elective procedure.

Ideal candidates for heart bypass surgery

The build-up of a fatty material known as "plaque" can constrict or clog the coronary arteries. It is known as atherosclerosis. If a patient has many sites of atherosclerosis, the doctor may advise heart bypass surgery. If a patient has:

• Pain in the chest that does not improve with medication
• Unstable angina
• Had a previous heart attack
• Coronary artery disease: not appropriate for coronary angioplasty or stenting.

Diagnosis

The common route to surgery would generally begin when a patient seems to have chest tightness after walking up a hill that resolves when they stop walking. The doctor may arrange for a stress test in which the patient exercises on a treadmill.

At the same time, the heart is monitored using ultrasonography (echocardiography) or an ECG to look for signs of oxygen depletion (ischemia). If the stress test is positive and there are signs of oxygen starvation, the patient will be referred to a cardiologist, who will perform coronary angiography.

The angiography will assess the degree of coronary disease and whether the patient requires surgery or alternative medicinal therapy.

Before the procedure

Blood tests, an electrocardiogram (EKG), and chest X-rays will be conducted before surgery. Coronary angiography is an X-ray procedure that a physician may use. A special dye is used to show how blood flows through arteries.

Patients will also be informed if any dietary or lifestyle changes, as well as prescription changes, are required before surgery. Inform the doctor about any vitamins or supplements the patient is taking, even if they are natural, in case they increase the risk of bleeding. Patients must also plan for their post-surgery recovery.

During the procedure

Coronary artery bypass surgery is done either open or through an incision in the sternum.

During the procedure, a healthy blood vessel is removed from a body part such as the leg (long saphenous vein), arm (radial artery), or chest (internal thoracic artery). The heart is carefully stopped while the grafts are being generated. During this time, a heart-lung machine mimics the heart and lungs by delivering oxygen, removing carbon dioxide, and keeping the blood flowing.

If the artery graft is obtained from the leg or arm, one end is joined to the aorta, and the other end is attached to the coronary artery beyond the obstruction by fine sutures. Blood can now readily reach the heart after bypassing the blocked and constricted region.

If the internal thoracic artery is being used, the surgeon will redirect it by removing one end of it and reattaching it below the blocked section of the coronary artery.

After the surgery, the heart will be restarted, the heart-lung machine removed, and the incision repaired with absorbable sutures. The sternum bone is reconstructed with stainless steel wires that remain in place when the bone heals. They are inert, do not set off metal detectors, and are MRI-compatible after 6–8 weeks.

If one wants to know about this surgery in detail they can consult with Dr. Sujay Shad, Heart Surgery Doctor in India at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

After the procedure

• When a person wakes up, a tube will be put into their throat to assist them with breathing, and it will be uncomfortable and disturbing, but it is necessary, and within 24 hours, a doctor will usually remove the tube.
• On average, a person will spend around a week in the hospital after surgery, and soreness and night sweats are normal, and patients can expect to cough a lot because there may be some fluid in the lungs.
• Most patients start eating and moving around after removing the breathing tube.
• Platelet inhibitors are routinely used as post-surgery therapy to help prevent blood clots.

Post-operative guidelines

Patients must follow a few post-operative guidelines after surgery, which include:

• Lifting heavy objects, performing rigorous exercises, and driving should be avoided for several weeks after surgery to allow the sternum to recover.
• To alleviate chest pain and avoid blood clots, medications may be recommended.
• While recuperating, the doctor may advise patients to wear compression stockings around the calf muscles.
• Patients should consult the doctor when they notice redness, swelling, irregular heartbeats, palpitations, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or weakness.

Patients can treat or prevent the advancement of CAD with lifestyle changes, such as:

• Exercise regularly.
• Consume a low-salt, low-cholesterol diet.
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Lose weight if a patient is overweight.
• Control diabetes and high blood pressure.

For more information on heart bypass surgery in Delhi, and how this is performed. Consult Dr. Sujay Shad at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi. All types of heart surgeries are performed at the hospital in patients of all ages.