Risk factors & Complications of Heart Bypass Surgery
Heart Bypass surgery is a surgical procedure which is performed to remove or replace any artery (arteries) which may be completely or partially blocked in the heart and consequently may have been damaged. In this operation, the surgeon removes the damaged arteries and replace sit with healthy blood vessels from the leg, arm or chest and connects it below and above the damaged arteries in the heart. This open-heart surgery is performed when medications cannot remove blockages from the arteries. In such a case, it becomes crucial to remove these blockages from the arteries as the blockage will not allow enough blood to be pumped into the heart which might result in heart diseases as well as conditions like heart attack or heart failure. Even though this surgery cannot cure the disease but can ease symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath, thereby reducing the chances of dying of heart disease which will improve the functioning of the heart.
Why is heart bypass surgery done?
Heart Bypass surgery is one of the best options for treatment of the blocked arteries of the heart. Your doctor may suggest it if:
- A person is suffering from severe chest pain because of the narrowing of arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles.
- A person has more than one diseased coronary artery and the left ventricle of the heart is not functioning well.
- The left coronary artery which supplies most of the blood to the left ventricle is severely blocked or narrowed.
- A person has an artery blockage which cannot be treated with the procedure known as angioplasty (it involves inserting and inflating a tiny balloon to widen the artery).
- The previous angioplasty surgery hasn’t been successful.
Risk factors & complications involved in Heart Bypass Surgery
There are several complications and risk factors which a person may face during or after the open-heart surgery. Such complications and risk factors are as follows:
- A person undergoing open heart surgery might need blood transfusion right after the surgery because the operation involves removal and replacement of blood vessels due to which bleeding may occur at the site where blood vessels have been attached.
- The most common problem in the cases of bypass surgeries is arrhythmia that is improper or irregular beating of the heart. In this condition, the heart beats either too slow or too fast. Sometimes blood clots may also develop in the heart which can move to different parts of the body.
- Another complication experienced by patients who have undergone open heart surgery is chest pain. The heart may take time to adjust to the changes that are done after this surgical procedure which might be the reason for the occurrence of chest pain. In case of severe chest pain, the person should consult the doctor immediately who has performed the surgery.
- A very rare complication observed is the development of the infection after the surgery. It mainly occurs when the surgical instruments used during the surgery are not properly sterilized or the wound has not been stitched properly, making it more susceptible to microbial infection. However, this is not a cause of worry as according to estimates, only 1-2% of people have a chance of getting infection after the surgery.
- A temporary kidney failure or kidney dysfunction may occur after the bypass surgery as the procedure may affect the aorta or veins that receive blood from the heart.
- A person who has undergone bypass surgery may suffer from the most common risk factor associated with the surgery which is post pericardiotomy syndrome (inflammation of the lining around the heart). The common symptoms experienced may be recurring low temperature fever and mild or severe chest pain.
- Another problem associated with a coronary bypass surgery is the loss of memory or difficulty in thinking. It is often believed that the operation tends to damage or disturb the tissue lining of the arteries that carry blood to the brain. However, this problem might subside after 5-6 months post surgery.
- It is extremely rare for a patient to die during an open-heart surgery but deaths have been reported mainly due to heart attack or stroke during the bypass surgery.
Conclusion
It has been observed that most of the people remain symptom-free after the bypass surgery for over a period of 10-15 years. It is also possible that other arteries or new grafts used might get clogged again and may require another bypass or angioplasty. To get maximum impact out of the bypass surgery, you will need to make lifestyle changes. Starting from a healthy diet, exercise to medications, you need to take good care of yourself to prevent another blockage. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms like chest pain or recurrent fever after the bypass surgery, consult your doctor as soon as possible. You can book an appointment with the best cardiologist at YASHODA HOSPITAL & RESEARCH CENTRE, NEHRU NAGAR, GHAZIABAD. It is always advisable to seek medical attention at the earliest to prevent any further complications or any other heart disease.
Some of the best cardiologists for Heart Bypass surgery in Ghaziabad & Delhi NCR
Dr. Alok Sehgal is one of the best cardiologists in Delhi NCR with over 20 years of experience in the medical field. He performs more than 150 angioplasties and over 500 diagnostic cardiac procedures annually. He specializes in all kind of diagnostic peripheral vascular diseases, cardiac catheterization and angiographic studies as well as coronary and peripheral arterial diseases.
Dr. Manish Mittal is an Interventional Cardiology consultant at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre in Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad. With the aim of making a qualitative difference in the lives of his patients, Dr. Mittal specializes in dealing with various cardiac emergencies, managing critical care patients, reading ECGs, analyzing TMT/holter monitoring, and independently performing 2D-echocardiography, diagnostic coronary angiogram (radial/femoral), primary coronary angioplasty (preferably radial), and temporary/permanent pacemaker implantation.
Cost of Heart Bypass surgery in Delhi NCR & Ghaziabad in INDIA
The approximate cost of bypass heart surgery in Delhi NCR & Ghaziabad in India ranges from INR 2.8 lakhs to INR 5 lakhs. This surgery cost may vary depending upon various factors such as case complexity (the more complex the case, the higher may be the associated surgery cost), associated medical conditions (in case of co-morbidities, the cost may be greater) and immuno-deficiency ailments. The success of the heart bypass surgery depends on the doctor’s expertise as well as the hospital in which you are receiving the treatment.