Risks & Benefits of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery Procedure

Coronary bypass or CABG surgery is commonly used nowadays for treating heart attacks or angina caused by blockages in arteries supplying blood to heart muscles. Double, triple or quadruple bypass generally refers to the number of arteries which are bypassed. 

Benefits of Coronary Bypass Surgery

Benefits of coronary bypass surgery are many, including some which are particularly important for patients having serious cardiovascular diseases. This operation can in fact save lives of people who are having heart attack or for those who are having risk of developing one. CABG surgery is also effective for ongoing angina & shortness of breath as a result of diseased heart arteries. Elective cardiac surgery procedures are highly effective at reducing or even eliminating discomfort as well.

Risks & Complications of Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Risk of serious complications of CABG surgery is higher for emergency cases of coronary bypass surgeries for patients having heart attack when compared to elective CABG surgery for treatment of angina & other symptoms. Complications from coronary bypass surgery are relatively rare nowadays & the heart care team will put every effort to guard against & to treat them in case they develop.

• Risk of Bleeding from site of Attached Graft – Almost 30 percent of CABG patients require blood transfusions following surgery. It is however quite rare that bleeding is so severe to require additional surgery.
   

• Heart Rhythm Problems – Atrial fibrillation is a common complication of CABG surgery & which at times can contribute to blood clots which form in heart & can also travel to other parts of the body. Although less common, other types of heart rhythm problems can also occur in some cases.

• Blood Clots – Blood clots which form after CABG surgery can cause stroke, heart attack & lung problems.

• Infections at Incision Site – This can occur at incision site where chest was opened for surgery. This complication is however rare & occurs only in about 1 percent of open heart surgeries.

• Post-Pericardiotomy Syndrome – Occurring in about 30 percent of CABG treatment patients from few days to 6 months following coronary bypass surgery. Common post-pericardiotomy syndrome symptoms include fever & chest pain.

• Kidney or Renal Failure – Though this complication is most often temporary, CABG surgery can sometimes damage functioning of the patient’s kidney.

• Difficulty in Thinking or Memory Loss – Several people report difficulty in thinking following CABG surgery. Nevertheless, this problem is typically found to improve in 6 – 12 months of time. Studies have so far been inconclusive as to whether surgery on beating heart, without heart-lung machine, can reduce risk of this complication.

• Reactions to Anesthesia – This is a common complication along with difficulty in breathing with any surgery involving general anesthesia.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in India

With rising costs of healthcare services across the world, this is an excellent exception for the international patient to undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery in India. Cardiac surgeons in India are some of the best in the world & have been continuously delivering good bypass surgery success rates year after year.

For costing details of CABG surgery, send us an e-mail at: info@indianmedtrip.com