When One Needs A Heart Bypass Surgery? Explains Dr Mayuresh Pradhan

Dr Mayuresh Pradhan is here to help you clear all your doubts regarding heart bypass surgery.

Many people tend to undergo bypass surgery as the arteries responsible for carrying blood to the heart get blocked. So, when there are severe blockages, the surgeon creates a new channel to bypass the blockage called bypass graft surgery. During this procedure, a blood vessel from another body part is used to channel blood around the blocked area. Know everything about heart bypass surgery by Dr Mayuresh Pradhan, Consultant Cardiovascular Thoracic and Heart Transplant Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road.

When Will One Need Bypass Surgery?

When the plaque builds up in the artery supplying the heart (coronary artery), it narrows and gets blocked. Less severe blockage can be managed through angioplasty and stenting. But, in case of severe coronary artery blockages, a person will need bypass surgery.

How To Prepare Before And During The Surgery?

Do not consume alcohol or smoke before the surgery. Avoid eating or drinking anything after midnight if your surgery is scheduled for the following day. You won't be allowed to consume or sip during the surgery. Instead, the anesthesiologist will give you medication to help you relax before the surgery.

What Is The Procedure For Bypass Surgery?

If you have been advised to undergo bypass surgery, the doctor will take a substitute blood vessel from another part of the body. They will attach the blood vessel distal to the blockage to improve the blood supply. If done traditionally, there will be a big incision near the breastbone so the surgeon can get it directly at the heart. During the procedure, the body is either connected to a heart-lung bypass machine that will aid circulation or the surgery is performed on a beating heart. Nowadays, minimally invasive surgical techniques are also used where the incision is smaller. However, these techniques are not suitable for all bypass surgeries. The surgery can last for around 4-5 hours. Your hospital stay will be approximately seven days, out of which three days will be in the intensive care unit.

Is Bypass Surgery Risky?

The surgery is not risky when performed by a skilled surgeon. You need not worry at all. If you are recommended it, then go for it without giving it a second thought. The surgery will provide a good outcome and improve your quality of life.

After Bypass Surgery: How Long Does It Take To Recover?

The patient will be monitored for 2-3 days in the ICU and subsequently shifted to the ward. After getting discharged home, the patient will take at least four weeks to recover. Many patients are fully functional in six to eight weeks, although some may take longer. The patient will have to eat a well-balanced diet, do light exercises after speaking to the doctor, stay stress-free, and avoid driving or lifting heavy objects for at least six months.