Cardiac Bypass Surgery is advised:

• When the number, location, and extent of coronary artery stenosis (occlusions) present a significant risk of heart attack to the patient
• The left main coronary artery is severely stenosed
• If the angioplasty has failed or the artery has become narrow again
• During or immediately after a heart attack to attempt to salvage damaged heart muscle

The procedure involves taking vein or artery from the patient's body and grafting it in a manner that it provides as alternate route for blood flow from aorta to coronary artery bypassing the narrowed segment. This way, the diseased part of coronary artery is bypassed and blood flow to the heart is supplied without any obstruction.

Traditionally CABG is performed under general anaesthesia. The surgery lasts for 3 -6 hrs. The incision runs on the sternum and the chest cavity is opened to gain access to the heart. The graft artery or vein is grafted and prepared. The heart is stopped by chemical means and hypothermia and the graft is attached to the suitable site. The circulation is maintained by heart lung machines. One end of the graft goes into the aorta and the other end into the coronary artery beyond the narrowed part. The chest is then closed and dressed.

The patient recovers in a surgical intensive care unit for one to two days after the operation. Drugs are prescribed to control pain and to prevent unwanted blood clotting. One can resume a normal routine on the third day, including eating regular food, sitting up, and walking around a bit. Full recovery from coronary artery bypass graft surgery takes about 6 to 8 weeks.

• CABG surgery quite is helpful in relieving angina
• The surgery improves long-term survival of patients suffering from low heart muscle pump function or stenosis of left main coronary or multiple arteries.

Most people remain free from any symptoms for 10-15 years after the surgery. However, it is important to note that heart bypass does not cure the underlying problem of coronary artery disease, which caused the narrowing of blood vessels. Cardiac bypass reroutes the blood flow and has saved your heart from immediate damage. Thus long term changes in lifestyle are still necessary even after the surgery. Quitting smoking, exercising, dietary changes are few of the important lifestyle factors you need to work on to have a healthy heart.

A stay of 7-9 days in the hospital, including 2 days stay at Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of close monitoring, immediately after the surgery is required. A stay of two weeks is required for CABG or Open heart bypass surgery in India. Most patients are fully functional in six to eight weeks.