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!