Who should have coronary bypass surgery?
Bypass surgery is recommended for patients who have multiple, severe blockages of their coronary arteries. When this happens, the heart is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, which can cause chest pain. Surgery is needed when heart muscle damage is so severe that it impairs heart function and blockages can’t be treated by other means, such as angioplasty. What are the different types of bypass surgery? On-pump: After an incision is made in the chest, the surgeon saws through the breastbone and opens the rib cage to expose the heart. The heart is temporarily stopped and a heart-lung machine takes over. One end of a healthy blood vessel—or graft—is attached just above the blocked vein and the other end below. Blood can then flow in a detour around the bad artery. An electrical shock starts the heart pumping again after the graft has been attached. This classic approach is used in about 70 percent of cases. Off-pump: The same bypass of blockages is accomplished but without stopping the hear
