Heart bypass surgery or coronary bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to redirect blood from a blocked or partially blocked artery in the heart. In this procedure, the surgeon takes blood vessels from another part of your body to go around or bypass a blocked artery. As a result more blood and oxygen can flow to the heart. This Surgery does not cure any heart disease. However, it can give you relief from symptoms of ailments like chest pain, shortness of breath and swelling of hands or feet.

Why is this done?

Heart bypass surgery is a treatment that focuses on reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke and managing your symptoms. When plaques form, it can affect the heart in many different ways, causing a condition called atherosclerosis that leads to blockages. The arteries, which become smooth and elastic, narrow and harden, limit the flow of blood to the heart. The heart becomes starved of the oxygen and vital nutrients it needs to pump properly. They narrow your coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart. Eventually, the decreased blood flow may cause lead to many problems like,

 

• Chest pain. Chest is the most common symptom for heart diseases. But if you already suffer from high cholesterol levels or coronary artery diseases.
• Difficulty in breathing. Blocked arteries can block the flow of blood or oxygen to the heart, causing shortness of breathing.
• Pain in arms or legs. Muscle pain and cramps in the hands and feet can be caused by clogged peripheral arteries, which carry blood to other parts of the body.
• Swelling in hands or feet. Swelling in the hands and feet is another symptom of artery diseases. Or other signs and symptoms of coronary artery disease. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack. Coronary bypass surgery can also be done in an emergency like a heart attack. Your doctor may also recommend heart bypass surgery in Amritsar if you are not responding to other treatments.

 

Procedure

Heart bypass surgery or coronary bypass surgery is an invasive procedure. It is performed by a cardiac surgeon who specializes in surgical procedures of the heart. This is usually not done as an emergency procedure; the patient is admitted to the hospital and properly diagnosed prior to surgery.

After diagnosis, the patient is given the necessary medication and anaesthesia for sedation during the surgery. A long incision is made in the chest, the surgeon cuts the center of the chest along the rib cage to open the rib cage which gives the surgeon access to the heart. After the chest is opened, the heart is temporarily stopped with medication. Meanwhile, a heart-lung machine continues to pump blood to other parts of the body.

The surgeon will then remove a blood vessel, called a graft, from another part of your body, such as your chest, leg, or arm. They will connect one end of it to your aorta, a large artery that leaves your heart. Then, they will reach the other end of one artery below the blockage. If a graft is implanted, the surgeon will restart the heartbeat and cut the heart-lung machine and use a thin wire to close off the biceps and the incision will be closed with stitches. After a successful heart bypass surgery in Amritsar, the patient is rehabilitated with necessary exercises and medication. Usually the patient can make a full recovery Within 10-12 weeks. Heart bypass can treat the symptoms of heart disease but not the disease. The patient still has to adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid smoking and stressful activities.

 

There are other methods of heart bypass surgery such as :-

• Off-pump heart surgery. This process occurs while the heart is still beating. The surgeon uses a special instrument to immobilize the area of ​​the heart that the surgeon is working on. There is a high risk of complications in this procedure because the operation of a moving heart can be complicated.
• Minimally invasive surgery. The procedure involves robotics and video imaging equipment to help the surgeon operate on a smaller area. Coronary bypass surgery is performed through small incisions in the chest, often using variations of minimally invasive surgery called port-access or keyhole surgery.

Result

After surgery, most people feel better and have relief from pain and other symptoms and are symptom free for 10 to 15 years. However, it is possible that other arteries or even the new graft used in the bypass will close if not taken care of properly, requiring a second bypass or angioplasty.