Q. What is exactly done in bypass surgery?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart muscle become narrowed or blocked by a buildup of plaque. This can restrict blood flow to the heart, leading to chest pain (angina), heart attack, or other complications.
During bypass surgery, the surgeon creates new pathways for blood to flow to the heart muscle by using healthy blood vessels from another part of your body. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of what happens during the procedure:
1. Preparation: Before the surgery begins, you'll be given anesthesia to make sure you're asleep and pain-free during the procedure. The surgical team will also place monitors on your body to keep track of your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs.
2. Harvesting grafts: The surgeon will make an incision (cut) in your chest or leg to access healthy blood vessels that will be used as grafts. Commonly used blood vessels include the internal mammary artery from the chest wall and veins from the leg, such as the saphenous vein.
3. Creating bypasses: Once the grafts are harvested, the surgeon will then make an incision in the chest to access the heart. They will identify the blocked or narrowed coronary arteries and sew one end of each graft to the aorta (the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body). The other end of each graft is then attached to a point beyond the blockage in the coronary artery, creating a detour (bypass) around the blockage.
4. Testing bypasses: After creating the bypasses, the surgical team will check the blood flow through the newly created pathways to ensure they are functioning properly. This may involve temporarily stopping the heart and using a heart-lung machine to maintain blood circulation during the procedure.
5. Closing the incisions: Once the bypasses are in place and functioning well, the surgeon will close the incisions with stitches or staples and apply dressings to the surgical site.
6. Recovery: After the surgery, you'll be taken to a recovery area where medical staff will monitor your condition closely. You'll likely spend a few days in the hospital for observation and recovery before being discharged. During this time, you'll receive pain management medication, instructions on how to care for your incisions, and guidance on gradually resuming normal activities.
Overall, bypass surgery is a complex but highly effective procedure for treating severe coronary artery disease and improving blood flow to the heart muscle, reducing symptoms such as chest pain and lowering the risk of heart attack. It can greatly improve quality of life and increase life expectancy for many patients with advanced CAD.
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