Coronary Artery Bypass
Grafting Surgery (cabg)
All specialists seeing patients at Wockhardt Hospitals have fulfilled rigorous eligibility criteria used to ensure patients
What is Coronary Artery
Bypass Grafting (CABG) Surgery?
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is a major surgical procedure typically used to treat patients with severe Coronary Artery Disease. CABG surgery aims to improve blood flow to the heart by using a healthy blood vessel to bypass a blocked or narrowed artery. During the CABG surgery, surgeons take a healthy blood vessel from another body part and attach it to the narrowed or blocked artery in the heart, allowing blood to flow around the blockage and reach the heart muscle. While CABG does not cure CAD or treat the causes behind the narrowing of the artery, it restores blood flow to the artery reducing symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, etc. CABG is especially helpful in improving the quality of life of CAD patients and reducing the risk of future severe heart-related issues.
Why might I require Coronary
Artery Bypass Surgery?
CABG surgery is usually recommended for patients diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). The CABG surgery is effective in treating a narrowing of one or more coronary arteries or multiple blockages. Your doctor will recommend a few tests based on your symptoms, like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc., and perform a thorough evaluation. The doctor might then suggest a CABG surgery if you have any of the following:
- Left main heart artery blockage or severe narrowing.
- Narrowing of multiple heart arteries, causing symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, etc.
- Numerous unhealthy arteries along with a malfunctioning lower left chamber.
- CAD that is not improving with medications or other lifestyle changes.
- CAD that cannot be treated with less invasive procedures like angioplasty.
- If less invasive procedures were performed for you previously, but they failed.
What is Coronary
Artery Disease?
The most common cause of Coronary Artery Bypass surgery is when someone has Coronary Artery Disease. CAD occurs due to narrowing or blockage in arteries that supply blood to the heart caused by plaque buildup of fatty deposits on the artery walls. Not all patients with CAD will need CABG surgery. If you have CAD, certain risk factors that may cause you to have Coronary Artery Bypass surgery include worsening symptoms, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, and a family history of heart disease.
Advantages of Coronary
Artery Bypass Surgery
CABG surgery has several advantages for patients suffering from Coronary Artery Disease and/or severe chest pain due to blockage or narrowing of the artery. The major advantage of the CABG graft include:
- Restoration of blood flow to the heart muscle.
- Reduction in the symptoms of heart disease.
- Improved overall quality of life.
- Reduction in the risk of future heart attack or heart disease-related fatalities.
Tests Before
CABG Operation
Cardiologists will perform a number of tests and evaluations before deciding if a patient is eligible for getting a CABG graft. Before performing these tests, doctors will do a complete physical checkup and evaluate the medical history of the patient. Some common tests before a CABG operation include:
- Blood Tests: These tests may help detect high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and other diseases.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG): It measures the electrical activity of the heart to check how fast or how slow the heart is beating.
- Echocardiogram: This test creates images of the heart to show how blood is moving through the heart.
- Cardiac Catheterization or Angiogram: It is a minimally invasive procedure that is used to produce detailed images of the heart and blood vessels.
- Pulmonary Function Tests: These are a group of tests that help evaluate lung function.
- Cardiac CT scan: It is used to identify calcium deposits and blockages in the heart arteries.
Not all patients may require all the above-mentioned tests for CABG surgery. Also, some patients may require additional screenings based on their individual medical history. Doctors may also advise repeat tests or additional evaluations right before the CABG surgery These tests help the doctors decide the next course of action and prepare accordingly. It is advisable to ask your doctors about any tests that you have been prescribed if you have any queries.
How is Coronary Artery
Bypass Grafting Performed?
CABG surgery is a major procedure and is performed by experienced cardiovascular surgeons. The CABG surgery is done under general anaesthesia, and a breathing tube is inserted by a care provider to connect the patient to a ventilator to help them breathe during and after the CABG surgery.
The surgeons make a small incision in the chest to access the heart. The patient may also need to be put on a heart-lung bypass machine to circulate blood during the Coronary Artery Bypass surgery. The doctors take a healthy blood vessel from the leg or chest and use it to create a bypass around the blocked or narrowed artery. The new vessel is sewn onto the aorta and connected to the blocked artery beyond the point of the blockage.
Depending on the number of blockages, the doctor may perform more than one bypass to restore optimum blood flow to the heart. The surgeons will then check the blood flow through the new grafts and ensure that the heart is functioning properly before closing the incision.
Before the Procedure
Before the doctors schedule a Coronary Artery Bypass CABG surgery, the candidate must go through a few things to ensure the procedure goes smoothly. Here are a few important things to note:
- Tests: Doctors may need to perform a number of tests to ensure that you are eligible for Coronary Artery Bypass CABG surgery as well as to decide the course of Coronary Artery Bypass surgery.
- Consultation: Doctors will then schedule a consultation with the patient to discuss the next steps of the treatment. This is a good time to ask the doctors about any queries the patient may have and let them know of any existing medical conditions, current medications, etc.
- Medication: Doctors may recommend certain medications a few weeks before the procedure or even stop current medications.
- Diet: It is recommended to eat healthily before undergoing CABG surgery and avoid unhealthy foods.
- Restrictions: Patients with CAD must follow restrictions like stopping smoking to ensure maximum benefits from the CABG surgery.
- Legalities: Patients will need to sign a consent form and complete other formalities like appointing someone as a spokesperson to take medical decisions in case things get complicated during the Coronary Artery Bypass surgery.
- Fasting: Patients may be recommended to fast a few hours before the surgery.
- Preparation: Patients must prepare themselves mentally as well as have someone with them to drive them to the hospital as well as stay with them during the recovery period.
During the Procedure
During a CABG surgery:
- Patients are given general anaesthesia and are connected to a ventilator. They may also need a heart-lung machine in case of an on-pump coronary bypass.
- The doctors make a small incision through the chest and bypass a narrowed or blocked coronary artery using a healthy blood vessel from the leg or chest.
- By attaching the new blood vessel to the heart, blood flow is restored around the blocked artery, and the incision is closed.
After the Procedure?
CABG Surgery takes about 3 hours. Once the procedure is complete, the following occur:
- Patients are shifted to ICU and remain there for 1-2 days, after which they are shifted to the recovery room.
- They are usually discharged in 5 days.
- An IV line is attached to the patient through which pain medications, blood thinners, etc, are given.
- Once the patient is stable, they can start drinking liquids and move gradually to solids.
- They are monitored carefully to ensure no post-surgical complications occur.
- Procedures and post-op periods are pain free these days.
- Doctors will prescribe medications, explain what to do during recovery, what precautions to take at home, and schedule a follow-up appointment before discharging the patient.
It is advised to talk at length to the doctor about any query you might have before getting discharged.
How to Recover
Fast After Treatment?
Patients must take the following steps to ensure they recover fast after CABG surgery:
- Follow the doctor’s instructions carefully.
- Take rest as advised.
- Follow instructed physiotherapy.
- Take medications regularly as prescribed.
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
- Drink enough water to stay well hydrated.
- Stop smoking.
- Reduce alcohol intake.
- Join a cardiac rehabilitation program
- Avoid excessive caffeine and stress.
- Talk to the doctor about how you can gradually increase your activity level.
Risk Factors For Coronary
Artery Bypass Grafting CABG Surgery
There is always a probability and risk of complications associated with any type of surgical procedure. CABG surgery being a major surgery also has a risk of certain complications like infection, bleeding, irregular heartbeat, kidney and brain-related issues, heart attack, etc. These risks are more if the patient has the following risk factors associated with coronary artery bypass grafting CABG surgery:
- Old age
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Severe Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease or certain other medical conditions
- Previous heart surgery
CABG surgery is a complicated and life-saving procedure and must only be performed under the care of expert cardiovascular surgeons. If you need CABG surgery in India, Wockhardt Hospitals has an incredible heart team with years of experience in performing CABG surgery in India using the latest technological advancements.
Talk with our expert
Life Wins Stories
The vision and leadership of Wockhardt’s Founders have been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s ethos of providing high-quality and affordable healthcare services to patients worldwide. Read and listen to the heartfelt experiences of our patients as they share their stories about the exceptional care they received at Wockhardt Hospitals.
Paresh Vyas
Excellent facility with renowned Cardiologists like Dr Dharmesh R Solanki. Very humble doctors, and good staff. Value for money.
Meena Kothari
Excellent facility with renowned Cardiologists like Dr Dharmesh R Solanki. Very humble doctors, and good staff. Value for money.
Life Wins Stories
Paresh Vyas
Excellent facility with renowned Cardiologists like Dr Dharmesh R Solanki. Very humble doctors, and good staff. Value for money.
Meena Kothari
Excellent facility with renowned Cardiologists like Dr Dharmesh R Solanki. Very humble doctors, and good staff. Value for money.
