During heart bypass surgery, a section of the coronary artery is bypassed to improve blood flow to the heart. This is achieved by transplanting a healthy section of blood vessel around the diseased artery area using either veins or arteries from elsewhere in the patient’s body, like the arms, legs, or chest.
Also Known As:
- Coronary artery bypass grafting
- Heart surgery
- Cardiac surgery
- CABG
- Open heart surgery
Conditions Treated with Heart Bypass Surgery:
Heart bypass surgery may be utilized to treat severe chest pain that is caused by the narrowing of arteries or a diseased or blocked coronary artery. It can also be used for patients who have had an unsuccessful angioplasty in the past.
The alternatives to heart bypass surgery depend on the condition that the patient is suffering from. For example, surgical alternatives to coronary artery disease can include balloon angioplasty, laser angioplasty, stents and atherectomy.
Anesthesia with Heart Bypass Surgery:
Heart bypass surgery is performed with general anesthesia, which means that the patient is asleep and completely unaware during the procedure.
Prognosis after Heart Bypass Surgery:
The prognosis for a positive end result following heart bypass surgery is good. The patient will need to make significant lifestyle changes and may need another bypass surgery in the future.
Recovery from Heart Bypass Surgery:
The total recovery time for heart bypass surgery is six to eight weeks.