By Dr. Vinay Sanghi , Cardiology
Coronary bypass surgery is the surgical procedure in which the blood flow of a blocked artery or even a partially blocked artery in your heart is diverted. Since a new pathway to the heart is made, the heart muscles’ blood flow generally improves. This procedure works by taking a healthy blood vessel from the arm, leg or chest and connecting it to an artery in your heart. As a result, the blood bypasses the blocked or diseased artery. Here is everything you need to know about coronary bypass surgery:
Risks-
1. Atrial Fibrillation:
Atrial fibrillation is basically an irregular heartbeat. Studies show that one in every 3 patients of a coronary bypass surgery develops atrial fibrillation.
2. Infection:
The wounds in your chest or arm after the coronary bypass surgery may get infected. It occurs in about one in every 25 individuals. However antibiotics can usually treat these infections.
3. Reduced Kidney Function:
About one in every 20 patients of coronary bypass surgery experience reduced kidney function after the surgery. However, this is temporary and usually assumes normalcy in just a few days or weeks.
Benefits-
1. Prevent Heart Attacks:
Coronary bypass surgery can prevent heart attacks by bypassing arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles. Once the blood flow to the heart muscles has been restored, the risk of a heart attack drops immensely.
2. Reduced Angina:
Angina is severe chest pain. It can be reduced by a coronary bypass surgery.
