An overview of Coronary Bypass Surgery
Coronary bypass surgery is a procedure that creates a new path for blood to flow around a blocked or partially blocked artery in the heart. It involves taking a healthy blood vessel from the chest or leg area and connecting it below the blocked heart artery. This improves blood flow to the heart muscle and can reduce symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath. The surgery is recommended for individuals with severe narrowing of the main heart artery, a blockage in the left main heart artery, or severe chest pain caused by narrowing of several heart arteries. It is performed by cardiovascular surgeons and may involve general anesthesia, a breathing machine, and either off-pump or beating-heart surgery, or minimally invasive surgery.
What is Coronary Bypass Surgery used for?
Coronary bypass surgery is performed to restore proper blood flow around a blocked heart artery. It may be done as an emergency treatment for a heart attack or if other immediate treatments are not effective. It is recommended if there is a blockage in the left main heart artery, severe narrowing of the main heart artery, severe chest pain due to narrowing of multiple heart arteries, more than one diseased heart artery, or a blocked heart artery that cannot be treated with coronary angioplasty.
How to prepare for Coronary Bypass Surgery?
Before coronary bypass surgery, patients typically need to make changes to their activities, diet, and medications. These adjustments are usually provided by the healthcare provider as specific instructions. The preparation process may involve stopping certain medications, adjusting dosages, or adding new medicines to control bleeding, blood pressure, and infection risk. If a patient has diabetes, they may receive medication to control blood sugar during the surgery. It is essential to arrange for someone to drive the patient home after the hospital stay and make plans for help at home during the recovery period.