Bypass Surgery is a very common heart procedure aimed at restoring healthy blood flow to the heart. Also known as Heart Bypass Surgery or Coronary Bypass Surgery, it is required when the coronary artery gets blocked or damaged and cannot supply blood properly to the heart. The condition is called CAD (Coronary Artery Disease) or Atherosclerosis.

Pre-procedure Preparations

Before performing the procedure, the experienced doctors at Metro Hospitals will direct the patients about the pre-procedure steps they must follow. These should be followed as advised by the doctor a few days before the surgery:

• Exercise
  The doctors may recommend certain exercises and workout routines to improve overall fitness. It will increase the chances of a better outcome post-surgery
• Medicines
  The specialist heart team at Metro Hospitals will evaluate your medical history and review your medication. Certain medications might be prescribed, while others may be stopped a few days prior to the surgery.
• Lifestyle changes
  Cardiologists will recommend certain lifestyle changes to help you recover well and get better results after surgery. A major lifestyle change required is to quit smoking. Smoking can be detrimental to the outcome of coronary bypass surgery. Other recommendations might be to lose excess weight and eat a healthy diet.
• Diet before the surgery
  The doctors may ask you to fast from the previous night before the surgery.
• Recovery Plan
  Our doctors are always available to help you plan your recovery period. You may ask them any queries you may have about the procedure and the planning needed after the surgery. We highly recommend that you have a recovery plan ready. It includes things like-<br>
  • Who will drive you home for the surgery?
  • Who will stay with you during your hospital stay in case of complications?
  • Who will be making important medical decisions on your behalf?
  • Who will stay with you during your hospital stay and your recovery period?

About the Procedure

The patient will be given general anaesthesia for heart bypass surgery. Following that, a breathing tube is attached to the patient to help them breathe during the surgery. After that, the surgeon makes a long incision cutting down the centre of the chest along the breastbone and spreading open the rib cage. It exposes the heart to being operated on. All this is done while the patient is put on a heart-lung machine. It keeps blood & oxygen flowing through the body as the patient’s heart is stopped for the procedure. It is why it is referred to as on-pump coronary bypass surgery.

Afterwards, a healthy blood vessel is taken from inside the chest wall or the lower leg. It is then attached to the artery. The procedure will redirect the blood flow around the constricted part of the blocked artery. The whole procedure allows the artery to restore the blood flow to the heart and improve overall functioning.

Benefits of the Procedure

A heart bypass surgery has several benefits, including the following:

1. Reduction in high blood pressure
2. Decreased shortness of breath
3. Decreased Angina
4. Improvement in overall heart health
5. Reduced risk of dying of heart disease.

Eligibility

The doctors will perform extensive screenings and tests to determine if you are eligible for a heart bypass surgery. Some of these tests include:

1. Blood tests
2. Chest X-Ray
3. Electrocardiogram – “EKG”
4. Pulmonary Function Test – “PFTs”
5. Carotid Doppler/Ultrasound Study
6. Ankle-Brachial Index – “ABIs”
7. Surface Echocardiogram
8. Vein Mapping
9. Trans-esphogeal echocardiogram – “TEE”
10. Stress Test or ECG-gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging
11. Heart Catheterization
12. Computed Tomography – “CT”
13. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging “MRI”

Not all the above-mentioned tests will be performed on every patient. Instead, the doctors will determine, based on your medical history and physical examination, which tests need to be performed in your case.

Who is not eligible?

The following scenarios can make you ineligible for a bypass surgery:

1. Extreme obesity
2. Existing medical conditions like cancer, aneurysm, heart valve disease, blood disease, AIDS, liver failure, or severe dementia.
3. Severe physical disability
4. Ongoing infections
5. High risk of surgical complications
6. Pregnancy
7. Serious diseases of organs like kidneys, liver, etc.
8. Allergies towards anaesthesia

The board-certified & experienced doctors at Metro Hospitals will carefully evaluate every patient, and if they deem a certain patient ineligible for surgery, they will look for other alternative courses of treatment in the case. We follow the patient-centric approach while being transparent about the entire process.

Metro Hospitals have years of experience in performing bypass surgeries on patients. Our doctors support and guide the patients throughout the process. With top-quality post-operative care and the latest technological advancements, our success rates in performing bypass surgeries are even exceptional.