Heart Bypass Surgery (CABG) - How It Is Done

Heart is the organ in our body that pumps oxygenated blood and nutrients all over the body, to maintain proper function of the other body systems.
And to do so, heart also requires a constant blood supply to receive adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients.
Heart is supplied by the first pair of arteries to originate from the aorta, called coronary arteries.
Left and right coronary arteries branch out and wrap around the heart muscle to form an arterial network, to supply the heart muscle.
However, in some individuals, these coronary arteries and their main branches get narrowed or blocked, causing dysfunction of the heart muscle or even death.
When the heart muscle or a part of it undergoes death, it is called a myocardial infarction, or a heart attack.
Some people might experience some warning signs in the form of severe chest pain, even, before they actually get a heart attack.
This severe pain is called an angina.
It is not a heart attack, but an indicator of the blockage of a coronary artery.
Most often, this blockage of coronary arteries is caused by deposition of cholesterol material in the arterial walls, called atherosclerotic plaques.
Plaque deposition does not occur within a day or two.
It is a slow process that take years to develop a plaque which can block the coronary arteries.
Diabetic patients.
People with high blood pressure.
Obese individuals.
And people with uncontrolled dyslipidemia, are at risk of developing these plaques.
Rupture or ulceration of these plaques can cause formation of blood clots within the coronary arteries, causing complete blockage of the artery.
This is the instant where people get heart attacks.
So, in bypass surgery, a blood vessel is taken from another part of the body, typically the chest, legs, or arms, and attached one end of it to the aorta, and the other end to the coronary artery, below the point of obstruction.
After that, blood can flow through the new channel to the heart.
Some people may have to undergo more than one bypass surgery at a time, depending on how many arteries are blocked.
Bypass surgery is done under general anesthesia, meaning that the patient is unconscious during the surgical procedure.
After the surgery, patient is transferred to the intensive care unit for a few days.
Patient will have a tube inserted to the mouth and throat to help breathe during the first day after surgery and will receive intravenous medicine to maintain the circulation and blood pressure.
Doctors will prescribe drugs to prevent further blood clotting.
Most importantly, aspirin.
In addition, patient may have to take other drugs like clopidogrel or prasugrel as well.

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