Beating Heart Bypass Surgery
Beating heart bypass surgery is often referred to as open heart bypass surgery or off-pump
coronary artery bypass surgery. Cardiac arrest or blockage of arteries (tubes that carry blood
from the heart to other body parts) is one of the common medical complications among
adults and old age people. People with diabetes and obesity are often prone to such medical
conditions.
When arteries are blocked, cardiac surgeons prefer cardiac bypass surgery. It has been
through various evolutions and transformations with improvements in technology.
Traditional cardiac surgeries involve the usage of a heart-lung machine to replace the
functioning of the heart temporarily and making 6 to 8-inch incisions in the chest to clear
out the blockage. Procedures like beating heart bypass surgery have been gaining more
traction over time.
What is a beating heart bypass surgery?
Beating heart bypass surgery or OPCAB (off-pump coronary artery bypass) surgery is performed to treat coronary cardiac (heart) diseases. The most significant point about this surgery is that, unlike traditional surgeries, it is performed without a cardiopulmonary bypass or heart-lung machine.
Why is a beating heart bypass surgery needed?
During traditional cardiac surgery, patients often developed other complications such as
temporary memory loss, bleeding, strokes, etc. Furthermore, traditional surgeries took
longer and required a blood transfusion to be performed.
To reduce these complications and the time needed to operate, beating heart bypass
surgery was introduced as an alternative that efficiently addressed all the above-mentioned
issues.
What are the steps of beating heart bypass surgery?
Pre-requisites:
There are some points that must be taken care of before performing the surgery and assessing the eligibility of the patient for the surgery. Certain tests like blood tests, chest X-rays, ECG (electrocardiogram), and coronary angiogram are performed by doctors to confirm that the patient is suitable for this kind of surgery.
After satisfactory test results, the doctors move ahead to perform the next steps of the
surgery. Our team is always concerned about patients’ doubts and necessities; they arrange
a counselling session with the patient before the surgery to get them acquainted with the
team and clear out all the doubts they may have.
Surgery
Our expert cardiac surgeons perform the surgeries with utmost care and sincerity to ensure
the complete welfare of the patients.
The patient is given general anaesthesia and a breathing tube at the beginning. This
is to ensure that they feel less or no pain during the surgery and there is no problem
breathing.
● Cardiopulmonary bypass or a heart-lung machine is not used and the patient’s heart
continues to beat during the surgery.
● In order to treat this condition, the surgeon makes an incision and divides the
breastbone to reach the heart.
Based on the need for the surgery, the surgeon may opt to perform minimally invasive
cardiac surgery to minimise the incision.
A stabilisation device is used to stabilize the part of the heart while the surgeon
attaches a graft from another part of the body to the affected area.
● If needed, a heart positioner may also be used to keep the heart in its proper place.
● After all the grafts are attached, the surgeon will then stitch/sew the incision.
● This whole process takes around 3-6 hours depending on the number of grafts to be
attached.
Post-Surgery or after surgery
Since this kind of surgery involves the heart, one of the most vital as well as delicate organs of the body, it is very crucial to take necessary precautions. It is also imperative to observe the improvement of the patient post-surgery.
● After completion of the surgery, our team will move the patient to ICU or intensive
care unit. Any changes (positive or negative) should be monitored closely and acted
upon at the earliest, if necessary.
● After satisfactory healing in the ICU, when the patient’s condition is stable, they will
be shifted to another unit for further monitoring. This will be done until they meet
the requirements for being discharged from the hospital.
● After close monitoring, when doctors determine that the patient is ready for
discharge, they recommend precautions and lifestyle changes for the patient to
improve his or her recovery rate.
The minimally invasive cardiac surgery or MICS unit at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre is endowed with world-class machinery. The team of cardiovascular surgeons at Yashoda is highly experienced and well-informed about the patient’s area of treatment.
The right treatment is not only provided at the right time. The Centre for Rehabilitation at Yashoda Hospital takes care of the patient after surgery. Through proper prevention, they provide proper guidance so that the surgery may be more successful.
If you are looking for a wide range of diagnostics then Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre,
Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad is the right place for you. The options available there are as
follows:
● Vascular Doppler uses sound waves for a vascular ultrasound. It evaluates the body’s
circulatory system and helps identify blockages in the arteries and veins.
● HUTT (Head-Up Tilt Table) – This procedure is used to record blood pressure and
heart rate at the same time.
● Using a 2D/3D echo (non-invasive investigation), we can evaluate the heart’s
function and assess its sections.
● Strain rate imaging (method in echocardiography for measuring the deformation of
the heart muscle)
● TMT – cardiac stress test used to diagnose coronary circulation. This test shows if
there is any abnormal blood flow to the heart muscle tissue.
● Ambulatory BP monitoring – In this, blood pressure is measured as the person moves
around on a normal day. A small digital blood pressure monitor is attached to a belt
around the waist which is connected to a cuff around the upper arm.
Book an appointment at Yashoda Hospital and get the best treatment for Beating Heart Bypass Surgery.
