Heart Bypass Surgery: Overview and how the Process is Performed

People suffering from chest pains and other indications of a cardiovascular condition may be recommended by their primary physicians and cardiologists to undergo a medical procedure called cardiac catheterization before having to undergo a heart bypass surgery. This process enables cardiologists to determine if the coronary arteries of their patients are blocked by waxy substances called plaque.

The collection of this plaque may be due to fatty build-up, fibrin, and other waxy substances. Plaque build-up results in the decreased supply of oxygen and blood to the heart and may lead to devastating chest pains or even a heart attack and stroke over time. Sometimes, the medical procedure angioplasty proves to be unsuccessful since the blockage may be severe causing the process to have a hard time accessing the build up. If the patient has serious blockages that affect multiple areas of the major blood vessels, his or her doctor may recommend performing a heart bypass surgery.

Overview of Heart Bypass Surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is one of the various types of heart bypass surgery. The heart bypass surgery has been recommended by doctors and has been performed by surgeons for almost 40 years now. Surgeons specializing in cardiovascular surgery are trained extensively to perform different heart bypass techniques. In fact, these bypass procedures are being performed on more than 500,000 patients every year in the United States. This makes it one of the most frequently used major surgeries in the US.

Doctors recommend heart bypass surgery to their patients if they determine that there is a blockage in one or more areas of their coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are responsible for providing nutrients and oxygen supply to the heart. If there is a blockage or a plaque build up in these blood vessels, serious complications may occur that may threaten the life of their patients. The coronary artery bypass surgery or the coronary artery bypass graft is used to treat different cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease or coronary heart disease.

How the Heart Bypass Surgery is Performed
Before a heart bypass surgery is performed, a patient is given general anesthesia. This will make the patient unconscious and fall into a deep sleep. General anesthesia ensures that the patient will be pain free during the entire operation. Once the patient falls unconscious, the cardiac surgeon will cut a 10 inch incision in the middle of the patient’s chest. An opening on the chest will be created through the separation of the patient’s breastbone. This is done so that the surgeon will be able to see the aorta, which is the major blood vessel that leads from the heart to the rest of the body and to the heart of the patient as well.

Patients who undergo heart bypass surgery are hooked up to a bypass machine for the heart and the lungs. They may also be connected to a bypass pump. Since a patient’s heart is stopped during bypass surgery, the machine serves as an alternate pumping organ during the entire surgical procedure. The machine is responsible for supplementing the required oxygen to the patient’s blood and is also responsible for circulating the blood all through out the body while the heart is not pumping.

However, due to the technological improvements made on the different procedures for a heart bypass surgery, the newest development does not utilize bypass machines. This type of bypass surgery is called the off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). In this procedure, the bypass is created without the need to stop the heart from pumping. This surgery is performed on patients who may experience potential problems while being hooked up on the bypass machine.

During the heart bypass surgery, the cardiac surgeon removes an artery or a vein from another part of the patient’s body and uses it as graft to make a detour for the blood and oxygen flow around the affected area of the artery. There are several ways that a doctor could perform a graft. One method is through a saphenous vein located in the leg of the patient. Once the graft is created, the surgeon will attach and sew this to the coronary artery of the patient. The doctor will then sew the other end of the coronary artery bypass graft to an opening in the aorta.

Another artery that can be used as a graft is a blood vessel that is located in the chest of the patient. This blood vessel is referred to as the internal mammary artery (IMA). One end of the IMA is already attached to the patient’s aorta, so the other end will be connected to the coronary artery. Aside from these commonly used grafts, a cardiac surgeon can also make use of the radial artery that is located in the wrist of the patient.

After the coronary bypass artery graft is created, the surgeon will close the breastbone of the patient through the use of a wire. This wire will remain inside the patient’s body. The doctor will sew the surgical incision with stitches. Patients should expect that a heart bypass surgery can usually take between four to six hours to be completed. After the medical procedure, the patient will be monitored closely in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

What to Expect after the Surgery
It is important that a doctor discusses any potential risks that may occur after coronary artery bypass surgery. There are risks involved as well as possible complications after coronary artery bypass surgery. This is why it is very important that all patients who are about to undergo a heart bypass surgery has total understanding of the risks involved and what they should expect after the surgery.

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