Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABS) is a type of surgery that is performed over patients suffering from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). The surgery improves blood flow to the heart by redirecting blood around a section of a completely or partially blocked artery in your heart. The CABS procedure involves taking a healthy blood vessel from the patient’s leg, arm, or chest and connecting it to bypass the blocked arteries in the heart.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) also known as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque tends to build up inside the coronary arteries which are responsible for the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. 

Over time, the plaque in the arteries hardens or ruptures (breaks open), thereby, narrowing the passage of oxygen-rich blood into the arteries. This results in chronic chest pain and discomfort commonly referred to as. 

The four primary coronary arteries in the heart are:

• Right main coronary artery
• Left main coronary artery
• Left circumflex artery
• Left anterior descending artery

Following are the signs and symptoms which indicate towards blocked or narrowed arteries:

• Shortness of Breath
• Persistent Chest Pain
• Fatigue
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Pain in Left Arm or Shoulder
• Heart Attack
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Restlessness
• Perspiration and Clammy Skin

There are certain health conditions and lifestyle issues which may trigger the formation of plaque in arteries, which are:

Non-modifiable Causes:

• Age (more than 70 years)
• Male gender
• Race (African Americans have more severe high BP than Caucasians)
• Family history of heart disease

Modifiable Causes:

• Diabetes 
• Obesity which results in high cholesterol 
• High blood pressure 
• Smoking/tobacco 
• Lack of physical activity due to a sedentary lifestyle 

Some of the major conditions we treat with Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery are:

• Stable Angina
• Unstable Angina
• Myocardial Infarction (MI)
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Nobody wants to suffer from heart disease but we all should be ready to face any situation. It is better to get tested and look out for all the possibilities to make timely interventions. There are many diagnostic tests which can ascertain the condition of your arteries. You may need to go for more than one test depending on your situation. BLK-Max Heart centre has an exclusive diagnostic centre for conducting various tests and scans which help the doctors in deciding the right treatment for you. After your physical examination, your cardiologist might ask you to go for the following tests:

• ECG
• Echocardiogram
• CT scan
• PET scan
• MRI
• Coronary Angiogram
• Cardiac Catheterization

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, also called Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is recommended in case of multiple blockages.

Before the Procedure

If your Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery is not in emergency conditions then your doctor will first admit you to the hospital and then perform the surgery under the influence of anaesthesia. The whole procedure generally takes somewhere between three to six hours.

For general anaesthesia, the surgeon inserts a breathing tube through the mouth. It is then attached to a ventilator, which aids the patient in breathing, during and immediately after the surgery.

During the Procedure

• STEP 1: The surgeon removes the healthy blood vessel from the patient’s leg, arm, or chest for grafting, which is used to create a bypass over the blocked artery. This helps in retaining normal blood flow to the heart.
• STEP 2: The team of surgeons now performs a minimally invasive surgery by making small incisions in the chest (often with the use of robotics and video imaging), through the sternum (breast bone). This gives a detailed view of coronary arteries. Due to the incision, the heart stops temporarily, and a heart-lung machine is used to circulate blood throughout the body.
• STEP 3: The surgeon now takes a section of the healthy blood vessel and attaches it to the ends (above and below) of the blocked artery. This redirects the blood flow around the narrowed part of the diseased artery.
• STEP 4: After the completion of the graft, the surgeon will restore the heartbeat of the patient thereby disconnecting the heart-lung machine. The incision in the chest is also covered and closed.

After the Procedure

A patient has to spend a day or two in the intensive care unit for monitoring purpose. However, the overall recovery time is around 12 weeks. After surgery, most people remain symptom-free and feel better. However, they have to take certain precautions for a lifetime to improve their quality of life.

Some of the major precautions that must be taken to avoid Coronary Heart Disease include the following:

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle
• Exercise daily for around 30 minutes, start with brisk walking
• Eat Healthy food with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits
• Keep your sugar in check
• Don’t take stress or live/work in a stressful environment
• Keep your blood pressure in check
• Keep a tab on your cholesterol
• Maintain a healthy BMI

A patient might face certain complications during or after the surgery. These include:

• Bleeding
• Fever
• New or persistent pain around your chest wound
• Redness around your chest wound
• Heart rhythm irregularities (arrhythmias)
• Infections of the chest wound
• Memory loss
• Kidney problems
• Stroke or Heart attack (due to a blood clot)

A patient must seek the immediate medical supervision if the complications do not improve.