Page 29 - Mended Hearts-HeartGuide
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COMMON TESTS AND THERAPIES
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG)
This surgery most often comes into play when less
invasive procedures and treatments do not open up the
arteries to the heart. The procedure creates new paths
for blood flow to the heart, reducing symptoms of
chest pain and improving the heart’s ability to function.
Considerations
One of the main reasons bypass surgery is done is
that a coronary angiogram—a test to see how well
blood is flowing to your heart—shows a narrowing of
the left main coronary artery. This procedure is also
used in the following situations:
You take medication for chest pain or discomfort
(angina) but your activities remain limited.
Your heart was damaged by a heart attack and you
are experiencing symptoms of heart failure, such
as shortness of breath and fatigue.
How it Works
Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery
are given general anesthesia for a procedure that lasts
from three to six hours. CABG surgery uses segments
(grafts) of veins or arteries from the leg or chest
to bypass arteries in the heart that are blocked or
narrowed. The bypass allows more blood and oxygen
to flow to the heart. A patient may undergo one or
more bypass grafts, depending on how many coronary
arteries are blocked. After surgery, patients usually
stay in intensive care for a day or two and in the
hospital for a week or so. Recovery from immediate
surgery generally takes from four to six weeks. Full
recovery takes a few months or more. Keeping the
heart healthy also requires eating well, exercising, and
quitting smoking.
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