Heart Bypass Surgery: Purpose, Procedure, Risks, Recovery

Heart bypass surgery is when a surgeon takes blood vessels from another part of your body to go around, or bypass, a blocked artery. MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosFindaCardiologistMedicationsOverview&FactsSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TestsTreatmentandCareforHeartDiseaseLiving&ManagingSupport&ResourcesSurgeryforCADHeartBypassSurgeryRecoveringFromCoronaryBypassSurgeryWhatIsPercutaneousCoronaryIntervention?CoronaryArteryDisease(CAD)PeripheralArteryDisease(PAD)AbnormalHeartRhythmsAnginaAtrialFibrillationCholesterolManagementDiabetesHeartFailureHighBloodPressureMetabolicSyndromeCholesterol&YourHeartStrokeMoreRelatedTopicsHeartDiseaseReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyJamesBeckerman, MD, FACConAugust30,2020ArticlesOnSurgeryforCoronaryArteryDiseaseSurgeryforCADHeartBypassSurgeryRecoveringFromCoronaryBypassSurgeryWhatIsPercutaneousCoronaryIntervention?WhatIsHeartBypassSurgery?Heartbypasssurgeryiswhenasurgeontakesbloodvesselsfromanotherpartofyourbodytogoaround,orbypass,ablockedartery.Theresultisthatmorebloodandoxygencanflowtoyourheartagain.Imagineyou’reonahighway.Anaccidentcausestraffictopileupahead.Emergencycrewsredirectcarsaroundthecongestion.Finally,you’reabletogetbackonthehighwayandtherouteisclear.Heartbypasssurgeryissimilar.Itcanhelploweryourriskforaheartattackandotherproblems.Onceyourecover,you’llfeelbetterandbeabletogetbacktoyourregularactivities.Bypasssurgeryisalsoknownascoronaryarterybypassgrafting(CABG).It’sthemostcommontypeofopen-heartsurgeryintheU.S.Mostpeoplehavegreatresultsandlivesymptom-freeforadecadeormore.You’llstillneedahealthydiet,exercise,andprobablymedicinetopreventanotherblockage.Butfirst,you’llwanttoknowwhattoexpectfromthesurgery,howtoprepare,whatcomplicationscanhappen,andwhattherecoveryislike.WhyDoINeedHeartBypassSurgery?Bypasssurgerytreatssymptomsofcoronaryarterydisease.Thathappenswhenawaxysubstancecalledplaquebuildsupinsidethearteriesinyourheartandblocksbloodandoxygenfromreachingit.Yourdoctormaysuggestheartbypasssurgeryif:Youhaveseverechestpainthatyourdoctorthinkshappensbecauseseveralofthearteriesthatsupplybloodtoyourheartareblocked.Atleastoneofyourcoronaryarterieshasdiseasethat'scausingyourleftventricle--thechamberthatdoesmostofyourheart'sbloodpumping--tonotworkaswellasitshould.There'sablockageinyourleftmaincoronaryartery,whichgivesyourleftventriclemostofitsblood.You'vehadotherprocedures,andeithertheyhaven'tworkedoryourarteryisnarrowagain.Youhavenewblockages.Coronaryarterydiseasecanleadtoaheartattack.Itcancauseabloodclottoformandcutoffbloodflow.Bypasssurgerycangiveyourtickerabighealthboost.HowDoYouPrepareforBypassSurgery?Beforeyoursurgery,you’llgetbloodtests,chestX-rays,andanelectrocardiogram(EKG).YourdoctormayalsodoanX-rayprocedurecalledacoronaryangiogram.Itusesaspecialdyetoshowhowthebloodmovesthroughyourarteries.Yourdoctorwillalsoletyouknowifyouneedtomakeanychangestoyourdietorlifestylebeforethesurgeryandmakeanychangestomedicinesyoutake.Alsotellyourdoctoraboutanyvitaminsandsupplementsyoutake,eveniftheyarenatural,incasetheycouldaffectyourriskofbleeding.You’llalsoneedtomakeplansforrecoveryafteryoursurgery.WhatHappensDuringHeartBypassSurgery?You’llbeasleepthewholetime.Mostoperationstakebetween3and6hours.Abreathingtubegoesinyourmouth.It'sattachedtoaventilator,whichwillbreatheforyouduringtheprocedureandrightafterward.Asurgeonmakesalongcutdownthemiddleofyourchest.Thenthey'llspreadyourribcageopensothattheycanreachyourheart.Yoursurgicalteamwillusemedicationtotemporarilystopyourheart.Amachinecalledaheart-lungmachinewillkeepbloodandoxygenflowingthroughyourbodywhileyourheartisn'tbeating.Thenthesurgeonwillremoveabloodvessel,calledagraft,fromanotherpartofyourbody,likeyourchest,leg,orarm.They'llattachoneendofittoyouraorta,alargearterythatcomesoutofyourheart.Then,they'lltheotherendtoanarterybelowtheblockage.Thegraftcreatesanewrouteforbloodtotraveltoyourheart.Ifyouhavemultipleblockages,yoursurgeonmaydomorebypassproceduresduringthesamesurgery(doublebypass,triplebypass,etc.).Insomecases,thesurgeonmaynotneedtostopyourheart.Thesearecalled“off-pump”procedures.Othersneedonlytinycuts.Thesearecalled“keyhole”procedures.Somesurgeriesrelyonthehelpofroboticdevices.Yoursurgeonwillrecommendthebestoperationforyou.WhatHappensAfterHeartBypassSurgery?You’llwakeupinanintensivecareunit(ICU).Thebreathingtubewillstillbeinyourmouth.Youwon’tbeabletotalk,andyou'llfeeluncomfortable.Nurseswillbetheretohelpyou.They’llremovethetubeafterafewhours,whenyoucanbreatheonyourown.Duringtheprocedure,themedicalteamwillprobablyhaveputathintubecalledacatheterintoyourbladdertocollecturine.Whenyou’reabletogetupandusethebathroomonyourown,they’llremoveit.TheyalsoattachedanIVlinebeforethesurgerytogiveyoufluidsandmedications.You’llgetitremovedonceyou’reabletoeatanddrinkonyourownandnolongerneedIVmedications.Fluidswillbuilduparoundyourheartaftertheprocedure,soyourdoctorwillputtubesintoyourchest.They’llbetherefor1to3daysaftersurgerytoallowthefluidtodrain.Youmayfeelsorenessinyourchest.You’llhavethemostdiscomfortinthefirst2to3daysaftertheprocedure.Youwillprobablygetpainmedicinesforthat.You’llalsobehookeduptomachinesthatmonitoryourvitalsigns--likeyourheartrateandbloodpressure--aroundtheclock. Youshouldbeabletostartwalking1to2daysaftersurgery.You’llstayintheICUforafewdaysbeforeyou'removedtoahospitalroom.You’llstaytherefor3to5daysbeforeyougohome.What’sRecoveryLikeAfterBypassSurgery?It’sagradualprocess.Youmayfeelworserightaftersurgerythanyoudidbefore.Youmightnotbehungryandevenbeconstipatedforafewweeksafterthesurgery.Youcouldhavetroublesleepingwhileyou’reinthehospital.Ifthesurgeontakesoutapieceofhealthyveinfromyourleg,youmayhavesomeswellingthere.Thisisnormal.Yourbodyneedstimetorecover,butyou’llfeelbettereachday.It'lltakeabout2monthsforyourbodytofeelbetteraftersurgery.You’llvisityourdoctorseveraltimesduringthefirstfewmonthstotrackyourprogress.Callthemifyoursymptomsdon’timproveoryou’refeelingworse.Talkwithyourdoctoraboutthebesttimetoreturntoyournormalday-to-dayactivities.What'srightforyouwilldependonafewthings,including:YouroverallhealthHowmanybypassesyou'vehadWhichtypesofactivityyoutryYou'llneedtoeasebackin.Somecommonplansinclude:Driving.Usually4to6weeks,butyouneedtomakesureyourconcentrationisbackbeforeyougetbehindthewheel.Housework.Takeitslow.Startwiththesimplethingsyouliketodoandhaveyourfamilyhelpwiththeheavystuffforabitwhileyourecover.Sex.Inmostcases,youshouldbephysicallygoodtogoinabout3weeks.Butyoumayloseinterestinsexforawhileafteryoursurgery,soitcouldbeaslongas3monthsbeforeyou'rereadytobeintimateagain.Work.Apartfromthephysicalrequirementsofyourjob,yourconcentrationandconfidencewillhavetocomeback.Mostfolksareabletoresumelightdutyafterabout6weeks.Youshouldbebacktofullstrengthafterabout3months.Exercise.Yourdoctormaysuggestsomethingcalledcardiacrehabilitation.It'sacustomized,medicallysupervisedexerciseprogram.Italsoprovideslifestyleeducation,whichcanincludehelpwithnutrition.Oncetheprogramiscompleted,youcanworkuptowhateverfitnesslevelyou'recomfortablewith.WhatAretheRisksofHeartBypassSurgery?Allsurgeriescomewiththechanceofproblems.Someinclude:Bloodclotsthatcanraiseyourchancesofastroke,aheartattack,orlungproblemsFeverHeartrhythmproblems(arrhythmia)KidneyproblemsInfectionandbleedingattheincisionMemoryloss andtroublethinkingclearlyPainReactionstoanesthesiaStrokePneumoniaProblemsbreathingManythingsaffecttheserisks,includingyourage,howmanybypassesyouget,andanyothermedicalconditionsyoumayhave.Youandyoursurgeonwilldiscussthesebeforeyouroperation.Onceyou’verecovered,yoursymptomsofanginawillbegoneormuchbetter.You’llbeabletobemoreactive,andyou’llhavealowerriskofgettingaheartattack.Bestofall,thesurgerycanaddyearstoyourlife.WhatAretheAlternativestoBypassSurgery?Thereareafewless-invasiveproceduresyourdoctorcouldtryinsteadofbypasssurgery.Angioplasty.Asurgeonthreadsadeflatedballoonattachedtoaspecialtubeuptoyourcoronaryarteries.Onceit'sthere,theyinflatetheballoontowidenyourblockedareas.Mosttimes,ithappensincombinationwiththeinstallationofsomethingcalledastent,awiremeshtubethatpropsyourarteryopen.There'salsoaversionofangioplastythat,insteadofaballoon,usesalasertoeliminatetheplaquethatclogsyourarteries.Minimallyinvasiveheartsurgery.Asurgeonmakessmallincisionsinyourchest.Then,theyattachveinsfromyourlegorarteriesfromyourchesttoyourheart,muchlikeatraditionalbypasssurgery.Inthiscase,though,yoursurgeonwillputtheinstrumentsthroughthesmallincisionsanduseavideomonitorasaguidetodothework.Unlikebypasssurgery,yourheartisstillbeatingduringthisprocedure.NextInSurgeryforCoronaryArteryDiseaseRecoveringFromCoronaryBypassSurgeryHeartDisease:WhatAretheMedicalCosts?Quiz:TestYourCholesterolSmarts10TipsforLivingWithAtrialFibrillationNumber1KillerofWomenHowtoWreckYourHeartUnexpectedHeartAttackTriggersYouShouldKnowAVisualGuidetoHeartDiseaseWhattoexpectduringheartbypasssurgeryHeartBypass(CoronaryBypass)RecoveringAfterHeartSurgeryChestPainTreatmentMythsandFactsAboutYourHeartHealthCoronaryArteryBypassGraftTopicsUnderstandingHeartDiseaseAvisualguide.WhatIsAFib?Symptomsandcauses.Heart-HealthyEating20foodstoaddtoyourdietrightnow.UsingBloodThinners?Toptipsfortakingthemsafely.ArticleShockingHeartDeaths:WhyDoTheyHappen?VideoAlcoholandYourHeartArticleAfteraHeartAttackSlideshow15SimpleStepstoLowerCholesterolSlideshowInsideaHeartAttackSlideshowTheTruthAboutOmega-3SlideshowSaltShockers:AvoidTheseHigh-SodiumSurprisesSlideshowSeeSimpleWaystoLowerBloodPressureAfteraHeartAttackHeartAttackSymptomsRe-routingBloodtotheHeartTestYourCholesterolSmartsExercisingforaHealthyHeartTipsforHeart-HealthyEatingHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSp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