Bypassed Heart
(View from the head end)

Bypassed Heart
(Close up view)

Patient Information - Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
 

Click here to post your personal queries to our surgeons

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY

What is coronary artery disease?

Narrowings which develop within the blood vessels (small tubes) of the heart reduce the blood supply to the heart and can affect the function of the heart. It commonly causes chest pain (angina) ,shortness of breath ,heart attack.

What is coronary artery bypass surgery?

This is an operation to improve the blood supply to the heart to relieve symtpoms of angina and also to prevent future heart attacks and prolong survival.

In this operation, blood vessels from other parts of the body( from behind the chest wall-"internal mammary artery"; from the legs -"saphenous veins"or from the forearms - "radial artery") and are used to "bypass" the blocks in the coronary arteries.

The blocks in the heart blood vessels are left untouched, however with the new blood vessels the surgeon re-routes the blood by attaching the new blood vessels beyond the narrowings - thereby bypassing the blocks. Very much similar to a traffic jam where one takes a sideroad to get past the jam and joins the main road again - bypassing the traffic jam. Hence the name "Bypass Surgery".

How is bypass operation done?

The operation is done usually under general anaesthesia - with the patient fully asleep.
The bypass procedures may be done either on a beating heart or with the use of a heart and lung machine.

What is beating heart bypass surgery?

In this situation the heart surgeon performs the operation while the heart is still beating. He does not use the heart lung machine to stop the heart while doing the procedure.

What does the heart and lung machine do ?

The heart and lung machine does the function of the heart and lungs while the surgeon can stop the heart and perform the procedure at the end of which, he restrts the heart and gradually stop the heart and lung machine.

Can all operations be done on a beating heart?

No,as of now, only coronary artery bypass grafting may be done safely on a beating heart. Any operation which requires the surgeon to open the heart eg. valve operations,closing holes in the heart -"Open heart operations" - all require the heart and lung machine as a must. The operator of the machine is called a "perfusionist" who maintains the circulation of the patient while the heart surgeon does the procedure.

Do all patients with coronary artery disese need bypass surgery?

No, the options for patients with coronary artery disease include medications,angioplasty & stent or coronary bypass surgery,based on individual circumstances.