What is coronary artery by-pass surgery?
Coronary artery bypass surgery is an open heart surgery, in which veins (veins or arteries) taken from another part of the body are used to provide blood flow to the coronary arteries that do not receive enough blood. Arteries or veins used in surgery are vessels that can be easily released from the areas where they are located and do not disturb the blood flow in the body area where they are removed.
Arteries used; Typical examples of grafts are the thoracic vein (mammaria interna) running down the inside of the chest wall; An example of a vein is the saphenous vein, which runs just under the skin from the ankle to the groin on the inside of the leg. Sometimes venous grafts can be prepared from the back of the leg or the arm when necessary. Again, as arterial graft, the radial artery from the forearm and the stomach artery from the abdomen can be used for grafting.
During surgery, arterial and venous grafts are attached directly to the coronary vessels running on the surface of the heart. Thus, the grafts act as a bridge and provide blood flow beyond the stenosis.
Coronary artery by-pass surgeries are generally performed using a heart-lung machine. This machine oxygenates the blood and provides blood flow to the body at a certain pressure, making it possible to stop the heart. Thus, by-pass surgery to the coronary vessels is performed.
No significant superiority was found in coronary bypass surgeries performed on a beating heart.
What does coronary artery bypass surgery provide?
Coronary artery bypass surgery increases the decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. This large incoming blood flow relieves chest pain (angina). It also reduces fatigue and the use of multiple drugs, making patients feel better. Thus, the quality of life of the patients increases. By-pass surgery in people with severe coronary artery disease prolongs the life of the patient.
*BY PASS surgery is not the same for every patient. It should be planned individually with the physician for each patient!