Heart Bypass Surgery

What is Heart Bypass Surgery?

Heart Bypass Surgery or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is performed to bypass your blocked coronary artery. In Heart Bypass Surgery, new passages are created from parts (grafts) of the blood vessels from other parts of your body. These new passages are used to re-route the blood around the narrowed arteries and provide your heart muscle with nutrients that it needs to function efficiently.

Where can I get Heart Bypass Surgery?

Country	Cost with MedSolution
France	$33,137 (inquire)
India	$7,012 (inquire)

Cost of procedure performed in the US: $80,000 to $100,000.

All prices are in US dollars and include the cost of the procedure and minimum hospital stay. Estimates and minimum hospital stay will vary depending upon individual needs and requirements.

How is the Heart Bypass Surgery performed?

Heart Bypass Surgery can be performed using any of the 2 procedures. The first one is called the traditional Heart Bypass Surgery which involves an incision in the front of your chest through the breastbone or sternum (median sternotomy). Through this incision the surgeon can visualize your heart and the aorta. During the traditional Heart Bypass Surgery your heart is completely stopped and the function of your heart is taken over by heart-lung machine while the surgery is being performed. The heart is stopped with a special mixture of chemicals. After the bypass has been performed you are taken off the machine and your heart regains its function. The grafts for Heart Bypass Surgery are either obtained from saphenous vein, radial artery or internal thoracic artery. The entire procedure of Heart Bypass Surgery takes 3 - 6 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. You will spend 2 - 3 days in the intensive care unit and will be discharged from the hospital after 7 - 10 days following Heart Bypass Surgery. If all goes well complete recovery is possible in 3 - 4 months. However, this may vary under special circumstances. Second approach for Heart Bypass Surgery is called the Beating Heart Bypass Surgery where your surgeon is working on your heart while it is still beating. This approach can either be Minimally Invasive (small incision) or it can be performed through the conventional median sternotomy approach.

Who is an ideal candidate for Heart Bypass Surgery?

If you have disease of one or all three major coronary arteries or malfunctioning of left ventricle or if you are experiencing severe chest pains due to angina which is not responding to medications, then you are an ideal candidate for Heart Bypass Surgery.

What is the outcome of Heart Bypass Surgery?

The long term success rate of Heart Bypass Surgery are excellent. Your chest pains are resolved and your energy level rises significantly. To obtain the best possible results after Heart Bypass Surgery, it is important that you stop smoking, reduce your cholesterol levels, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, manage diabetes and control your blood pressure. Heart Bypass Surgery does not prevent recurrence of blockage therefore, it is very important for you to make these lifestyle changes.

B . R . A . N . D . of Heart Bypass Surgery

Benefits of Heart Bypass Surgery

• Heart Bypass Surgery
  • Improvement in your quality of life
  • Resolution of chest pains
  • Increase in energy level
• Beating Heart Bypass Surgery
  • Smaller incision and smaller scar
  • Shorter hospital stay and recovery time
  • Less potential for infection and bleeding
  • Less pain
  • Lower risk of stroke, heart attack or death during Heart Bypass Surgery
  • Less risk of renal failure and infection of chest incision following the Heart Bypass Surgery

Risks of Heart Bypass Surgery

• The magnitude of risks accompanying Heart Bypass Surgery largely depends upon your age, general health, smoking history, specific medical conditions, and your heart function.
• Some of the risks and complications associated with Heart Bypass Surgery include bleeding or infection, stroke (which is primarily related to age and history of previous stroke), kidney failure, and heart attack during or after the Heart Bypass Surgery.

Alternatives to Heart Bypass Surgery

• Beating Heart Surgery - Also known as Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB), R robotic Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass (RACAB) and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB). This is a sophisticated procedure where the heart is not stopped but continues to beat while the surgeon performs the Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting procedure. This alternative to Open Heart Surgery is considered if you have poor heart and / or lung function, if you have acute or chronic kidney disease, if you are at a high risk for stroke or if you have a calcified aorta.
• Balloon Angioplasty or Coronary Angioplasty – In this procedure a balloon or a catheter is passed into your artery. This balloon is then inflated to open up the narrowed portions of your coronary artery.
• Coronary Stenting or Drug Eluting Coronary Stenting - Coronary Stenting is a procedure in which a metal mesh or tube (stent) is placed to help keep your coronary artery open. Coronary Stenting is usually performed as part of Coronary Angioplasty procedure. In the procedure for Drug Eluting Coronary Stenting the stent is coated with a medication that prevents re-stenosis. This type of stent consistently releases a chemical substance that prevents clot formation and re-stenosis of coronary artery.

Now or Never

• Heart attack and stroke are life and death emergencies. If you are experiencing chest pains that are increasing in frequency and intensity and / or if you have already been diagnosed with blockage of one or several of your coronary arteries, having a timely Heart Bypass Surgery is your best bet. Delaying the Heart Bypass Surgery increases your chances of a heart attack manifold with each tick of the clock.

Decision to have Heart Bypass Surgery

• As they say “it is better to be safe than sorry”. Consult you cardiologist to obtain an assessment of your risk for re-stenosis following Coronary Angioplasty. If you are at intermediate or high risk for re-stenosis, then having a Heart Bypass Surgery can definitely improve your chances of a pain free and better quality of life