Heart Bypass Options

Heart bypass surgery, with the support of WorldMed Assist, is accessible at high caliber hospitals in the US and abroad. We generally choose medical facilities certified by JCAHO or the Joint Commission International (JCI) for partnerships. In addition, the international hospitals work in co-operation with medical facilities in the US, such as Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical, to achieve excellence in medical care. Our medically educated case managers are trained to facilitate your treatment with a personal approach appropriate for your specific circumstances..

Most importantly, we provide you with a personal touch from start until well after your procedure is completed.

Options for quality heart bypass surgery include:

• Heart bypass surgery in the U.S.
• Heart bypass surgery India
• Heart bypass surgery Turkey
• Heart bypass surgery Mexico

We also provide information on costs:

• Cost of Heart Bypass Surgery

What is heart bypass surgery?

Heart Bypass Surgery, also known as Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, sometimes called CABG (cabbage), or simply “bypass surgery”, is a common procedure used to divert blood around clogged arteries in the heart. Coronary bypass surgery remains one of the gold standard surgical treatments for coronary artery disease. Success rates of an astonishing 99.8% are achieved with one of our partner hospitals.

Why is CABG surgery done

The arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) can become
clogged by plaque (a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances). This can
slow or stop blood flow through the heart’s blood vessels, leading to
chest pain or a heart attack. Increasing blood flow to the heart muscle can relieve chest pain and reduce the risk of heart attack.

Heart Bypass preparation

To prepare for coronary bypass surgery, we require detailed medical information in the form of a medical questionnaire, ECG, Pulmonary tests and blood work. In some cases an Angiogram is required. All of this information will allow the doctors that we work with to determine your eligibility for the procedure. Your doctor will give you specific instructions about any dietary changes or activity restrictions you should follow before surgery. As part of the pre-surgery tests done at our partner hospitals, you will again receive chest X-rays, blood tests, an electrocardiogram and a coronary angiogram, which is a special type of X-ray procedure that uses dye to visualize the arteries that feed your heart

How is heart bypass surgery done?

The surgeon makes an incision down the center of the chest, along the breastbone. The rib cage is spread open to expose the heart. After the chest is opened, the heart is stopped and a heart-lung machine takes over blood circulation to the body. Surgeons take a segment of a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and make a detour around the blocked part of the coronary artery. A patient may undergo one, two, three or more bypass grafts, depending on how many coronary arteries are blocked. New procedures have been that may reduce the need for large incisions or a heart-lung machine:

• Off-pump or beating-heart surgery. This procedure allows surgery to be done on the still-beating heart using special equipment to stabilize or quiet the area of the heart the surgeon is working on. This type of surgery is challenging because the heart is still moving. Because of this, it’s not an option for everyone.

Minimally invasive surgery. In this procedure, a surgeon performs coronary bypass through several smaller incisions in the chest. This technique is usually used only when certain conditions exist. If multiple coronary arteries need to be worked on, it’s best to use a conventional approach. Variations of minimally invasive surgery may be called port-access or keyhole surgery.

Heart Bypass Surgery recovery

OLV Hospital in Aalst, Belgium

After surgery, the patient is moved to a hospital bed in the cardiac surgical intensive care unit. Heart rate and blood pressure monitoring devices continuously monitor the patient for 12 to 24 hours. Family members can visit periodically. Medications that regulate circulation and blood pressure may be given through the I.V. (intravenously). A breathing tube (endotracheal tube) will stay in place until the physicians are confident that the patient is awake and ready to breathe comfortably on his or her own. The patient may feel groggy and disoriented, and sites of incisions may be sore. Painkillers are given as needed.

Patients usually stay in our partner hospitals for about one week or longer after surgery. This time is much longer than what is normally provided, giving your doctor adequate time to monitor your recovery. During this time, some tests will be done to assess and monitor the patient’s condition. After release from the hospital, the patient may experience side effects such as:

• Loss of appetite, constipation
• Swelling in the area from which the segment of blood vessel was removed
• Fatigue, mood swings, feelings of depression, difficulty sleeping
• Muscle pain or tightness in the shoulders and upper back

Many of these side effects usually disappear in four to six weeks, but a full recovery may take a few months or more. The patient is usually enrolled in a physician-supervised program of cardiac rehabilitation. This program teaches stress management techniques and other important lessons (e.g., about diet and exercise) and helps people rebuild their strength and confidence. Patients are often advised to eat less fat and cholesterol and to walk or do other physical activity to help regain strength. Doctors also often recommend following a home routine of increasing activity- doing light housework, going out, visiting friends, climbing stairs. The goal is to return to a normal, active lifestyle. Most people with sedentary office jobs can return to work in four to six weeks. Those with physically demanding jobs will have to wait longer. In some cases they may have to find other employment.

What about alternatives to coronary artery bypass?

In some patients, alternative treatment of coronary artery disease includes medical therapy with specific medication or non-surgical treatment such as balloon angioplasty, laser angioplasty, stents or atherectomy (plaque removal). Your physician (cardiologist) will help decide which treatment is best for you.