Heart surgery is a procedure used to treat heart issues. One way that surgeons can access the heart is through open-heart surgery. One of the most important and life-saving surgeries done today for a variety of heart conditions is open-heart surgery. The chest wall is opened during open-heart surgery to allow the surgeon easier access to the heart. To access the heart, surgeons cut through the sternum (breastbone) and spread the ribs. This procedure effectively lowers the risk of sudden death, heart rhythm abnormalities, strokes, and heart injuries.

In this blog, we will discuss in detail open heart surgery, including when it is needed, types of open heart surgery, ways to perform it, the procedure, and the recovery process. To make this post enriching, we have gathered insights from Dr. Sujay Shad, a well known heart surgery specialist in Delhi. Let’s continue reading to learn.

When Does One Need Open Heart Surgery?

Patients with coronary artery disease, which increases the risk of a heart attack, are usually advised to have open heart surgery. But there are other circumstances as well, such as the following, in which heart surgery is necessary:

• Issues with the valves

• Complications with the heart's main artery

• Replacing a damaged heart with a donor heart.

• Hole in the heart

• Aortic surgery

Most Common Types of Open-Heart Surgery

There are various kinds of open heart surgeries, depending on the type of heart disease. A few common ones are as follows:

1. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

It is the most popular kind of heart surgery, done to give the heart alternative blood supply routes. The arms, legs, or chest are typically used to remove the healthy artery.

2. Heart Valve Repair or Replacement

The purpose of the surgery is to replace the malfunctioning valve with a metallic or biological valve or to repair it.

3. Heart Transplant

The procedure aims to treat advanced heart failure by replacing the damaged heart with a healthy one from a deceased donor.

Ways to Perform Open-heart Surgery

There are two methods for doing open cardiac surgery: 

1. On-pump: The heart and lungs are momentarily replaced by a heart-lung bypass machine that is connected to the heart. It transfers blood away from the heart and throughout the body. Then the surgeon performs surgery on a non-beating, non-circulating heart. Following surgery, the device is disconnected by the surgeon, allowing the heart to begin beating again.

2. Off-pump: Off-pump bypass surgery is performed on a heart that is still beating naturally. This method is limited to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures, also known as bypass surgeries. 

Procedure of Open-Heart Surgery

Heart surgery is a complicated procedure. A surgical procedure could take up to six hours. It involve the following steps:

1. General anesthesia is administered to the patient. This guarantees that they will be pain-free and asleep during the entire procedure.

2. A cut of eight to ten inches is made in the chest by the surgeon.

3. To access the heart, the surgeon makes a full or partial incision through the patient's breastbone.

4. The patient might be hooked up to a heart-lung bypass machine once the heart is visible. To enable the surgeon to perform surgery, the device drains blood from the heart.

5. The surgeon uses a healthy vein or artery to create a new path around the clogged artery.

6. The initial incision is stitched.

7. In certain high-risk cases, such as those involving multiple surgeries or elderly patients, sternal plating may be performed. Sternal plating is the process by which tiny titanium plates are used to reassemble the breastbone following surgery.

How Long Does Recovery Take Following Open Heart Surgery?

The type of surgery, any complications, and preoperative health all affect how long it takes to recover from surgery. Following an open heart procedure, recovery can take six to twelve weeks, or even longer in some cases.

1. Incision Management

The proper care of an incision is important. Wash hands both before and after touching the area of the incision, and keep it warm and dry. One can take a shower if their incision is healing properly and there is not any drainage. Warm, not hot, water should be used for no more than ten minutes during the shower. Make sure the water does not hit the incision site directly.

2. Pain Management

In addition, pain control is important because it can speed up healing and lower the risk of sequelae like blood clots or pneumonia. One might experience pain from chest tubes, incision sites, muscles, or the throat. Most likely, the doctor will write a prescription for painkillers that one can take at home. Some medical professionals advise taking the painkiller before going to bed and before engaging in any physical activity.

3. Get Adequate Rest

Following open heart surgery, some patients have difficulty sleeping, but it is needed to get as much rest as one can. Following open heart surgery, there are some patients who do experience anxiety or sadness. Managing these effects can be aided by a therapist or psychologist.

Conclusion

Open heart surgery improves a patient's general health in addition to treating life-threatening conditions. It may take a while to recover. Apart from adhering to the doctor's recommended heart-healthy diet and lifestyle, one will also need to take antirejection medications on a daily basis. These steps might facilitate healing. If one is looking for open heart surgery, they may consult Dr. Sujay Shad, a leading heart surgeon performing open heart surgery in Delhi, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The expert surgeon has almost three decades of experience in performing heart surgeries. To learn more, visit Sir Ganga Ram Hospital now!

Coronary Bypass Surgery: Ideal Candidates, Procedure and Recovery

The blood vessels that provide the heart with oxygen, nutrition, and energy are called coronary arteries. A serious narrowing or blockage of these arteries may result in a heart attack or other complications. Thus, it is crucial to maintain the heart's blood supply. In these cases, coronary bypass surgery is performed.

In this blog, we will learn about coronary bypass surgery in detail, including ideal candidates, the procedure of the surgery, and the recovery period. To help readers understand it better with proper knowledge, we have gathered information from Dr. Sujay Shad, a renowned heart doctor in Delhi. Keep reading to learn.

Understanding Coronary Bypass Surgery

When a coronary artery becomes clogged or obstructed to the point where blood flow becomes unnatural, doctors can design a bypass to restore normal blood flow. When there is complete or partial blockage of the coronary arteries, bypass surgery is done. With coronary artery bypass surgery, a blocked or partially blocked cardiac artery is bypassed by a new blood vessel. During the procedure, a healthy blood vessel from the leg or chest is removed. The blood vessels are linked beneath the clogged cardiac artery. The new pathway improves the flow of blood to the heart muscle.

Ideal Candidates for Coronary Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery bypass surgery opens a blocked heart artery and allows blood to flow through it again. In cases where other immediate treatments are not working, the surgery might be performed as an emergency heart attack treatment. If a person has any of the following conditions, the doctor may advise coronary artery bypass surgery:

1. A blockage in the left main heart artery. The heart muscle receives a large amount of blood from this artery.
2. Severe narrowing of the main heart artery.
3. Severe pain in the chest brought on by multiple heart artery narrowing. Even when the heart is at rest or only slightly exerted, the narrowing decreases blood flow to it.
4. More than one damaged coronary artery and poor function of the left lower chamber of the heart.
5. A heart artery blockage that is unresponsive to coronary angioplasty treatment. This minimally invasive procedure enlarges the artery by using a balloon at the end of a thin tube known as a catheter. To keep the artery open, a tiny coil known as a stent is usually utilized.
6. An angioplasty with or without a stent that hasn't worked. For instance, following stenting, an artery narrowed once again.

What is the Coronary Bypass Surgery Procedure?

When a patient has multiple bypasses, complex vascular disease, or other underlying medical conditions like diabetes, heart bypass surgery is the recommended course of treatment. 

An open bypass procedure has the following stages: 

1. General Anesthesia: An anesthesiologist will put the patient to sleep with a general anesthesia to make him ready for surgery and insert a breathing tube into the patient's windpipe.
2. Graft Vessel Harvesting: The patient's leg, arm, or chest will be used by surgeons to remove the vessels that are needed for the procedure.
3. Incision and Opening: To reach the patient's heart, the surgeon will cut an incision in the middle of their chest and separate their sternum. At this point, they will momentarily stop the heart from beating.
4. Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Doctors may place a person on cardiopulmonary bypass. In order to do this, the patient must be hooked up to a machine that will operate their heart and lungs. This bypass does not have to be used for every surgery.
5. Grafting: To reroute blood flow, surgeons will affix the new graft vessels to both sides of the blockages.
6. Restoring Blood Flow: If cardiopulmonary bypass is required, doctors will remove it and verify that blood is passing through the grafted vessel as intended.
7. Closure: The surgeons will use metal wires to secure the sternum and suture up the incision site after verifying that blood is flowing through the graft. The patient will be admitted to an intensive care unit in order to heal.

Usually, the process takes three to six hours. However, this can change based on the number of grafts an individual needs.

Recovery After Surgery

1. First 3-5 days

The majority of patients begin to walk to the bathroom and based on a variety of clinical factors, they may be moved to the ward or SICU. During this time, patients are gradually becoming more independent in meeting their own needs, even though nurses and doctors are always present.

2. Initial Evaluation following a Week

A CXR, an ECG, and a few blood tests are necessary for this clinic visit. Most patients are able to increase their exercise by going for short walks in the nearby parks.

3. One Month Following Surgery

It takes about two months for people in employment to regain strength; most independent workers who have control over their schedules have returned to work by this point.

Conclusion

During a coronary bypass procedure, a blood vessel from the arms, legs, or chest is cut out and used to create a bypass or detour around the blockage in the coronary artery. This enables blood to reach the heart again. Heart bypass surgery lowers the risk of death and heart attack and is a relatively safe and effective procedure. Additionally, the procedure may lessen chest pain, which is one of the symptoms of coronary artery disease. 

If one is concerned about the surgery or the bypass surgery cost in Delhi, they may consult with Dr. Sujay Shad at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The coronary bypass surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital starts at Rs. 3,55,000. Dr. Shad is one of the most well known heart doctors and has delivered many successful surgeries at very reasonable prices. To get the benefits, consult the doctor now!