Why is it done
If you have a blocked artery to your blood vessel, coronary blood vessels are your only option.
Your doctor might suggest coronary bypass surgery, if
- You have serious chest pain caused by contracting of many of the arteries which supply your heart muscle, leaving the muscle short of blood during even light exercise or at rest.
- You have more the one blocked the coronary artery and the left ventricle is not functioning well.
- Your left coronary artery which supplies most of the blood to the left ventricle is narrowed or blocked.
- You have an artery that is blocked for which angioplasty is not appropriate.
Risks of coronary bypass surgery
- Bleeding
- Heart rhythm irregularities
- Infections of the chest wound
- Memory loss
- Troubles with thinking clearly
- Kidney problems
- Stroke
- Heart attack
How to prepare
Your doctor will give you clear cut instructions about activity limitations and changes in your diet or medicines that you should make before your surgery.
You should make arrangements for after surgery. It will at least take about four to six weeks for you to bounce back to the point where you can resume driving, go back to work and perform daily chores.
What to expect
Usually, coronary bypass surgery takes about three to six hours and requires general anesthesia. The number of bypass surgeries you require depends on the location and severity of the blockages in your heart.
For general anesthesia, a breathing tube is inserted into your mouth. The breathing tube is attached to the ventilator, which breathes for you during and after the surgery.
Generally, coronary bypass surgeries are performed via a long incision in the chest while a heart-lung machine keeps blood and oxygen flowing through the body. This is called on-pump coronary bypass surgery.
Other surgical techniques which your surgeon might use include:
- Off-pump or beating heating surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
After the surgery, you are expected to spend a day or two in the intensive care unit. The breathing tube will remain in your throat until you wake up and you are able to breathe on your own.
The expected recovery period for coronary bypass surgery is about six to twelve weeks.
