Beating Heart Surgery Hospital in Thanjavur

Beating Heart Surgery

Beating heart surgery is a type of coronary bypass surgery which is performed without the use of a heart-lung machine. This means that the heart continues to supply blood to the rest of the body during surgery.
Off-pump CABG is one of the methods which the surgeons use to restore the blood flow to the coronary arteries. The surgeons take a vein or an artery from another place and use it to bypass the blocked part of the vessel and reestablish the normal blood flow to the heart.

Risks of Beating Heart Surgery

Infecting
Irregular heart rhythms
Blood clots which may lead to stroke or heart attack
Bleeding
Complications from anesthesia
Kidney Failure

Getting ready for Beating Heart Surgery

Avoid drinking or eating anything after midnight before your surgery.
Try to stop smoking before your operation if you smoke.
You may be required to stop taking certain medications like warfarin, before your surgery.
Chest X-ray
Electrocardiogram
Blood tests
Echocardiogram
Cardiac stress testing

During the surgery

Anesthesia will be given to you so make sure that you do not feel any pain during the surgery. The operation may take a couple of hours. An incision will be made to remove the vessel. This vessel is generally taken from your chest wall or your leg.
If you are having a traditional off-pump CABG, your surgeon will make a large incision on your chest to separate your breastbone. If you are having a minimally invasive off-pump CABG, your surgeon will make a small incision in the middle of your chest and separate part of your breastbone. Your heart will keep beating during the operation.
The removed blood vessel is attached to the aorta surgically, the main vessel going out to the body. The other end of the blood vessel is attached to the blocked end of the coronary artery, to bypass the blockage.

After the surgery

You will wake several hours after the surgery. You will also wake up a bit confused at first. You will have a breathing tube which will usually be removed 24 hours after the surgery. You would be able to sit in a chair and walk with help in a day or two.