A heart bypass surgery is done when the blood flow to the heart gets restricted or blocked. The bypass surgery is also called as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG).
Oxygenated blood flows to the heart through the arteries. When the flow gets blocked or restricted, the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen and blood to function. In such a case, even heart failure is possible.
In such a condition, it is likely that a person can get heart attacks. Heart bypass surgery would be the right option to avoid heart attacks. World-class treatments for heart diseases are available at international hospitals. Platforms like Medditour can rightly connect you to global hospitals with world-class infrastructure and treatment facilities and facilitators who can arrange for a safe and secure travel.
Here, we’ll try to understand when the need for heart bypass occurs and about the rehab and recovery after the heart bypass.
Need for heart bypass surgery
When fatty substances in the blood form a layer on the inner side of the arteries, we call it plaque. When the plaque starts depositing on the walls of the arteries, the blood flow gets blocked or restricted. This causes reduced flow of blood to the heart muscle.
Initially, when the plaque deposits are seen, the surgeons or specialists prescribe medicines to manage the heart problem. When the block is more and is prone to higher risk of heart attack, then a bypass surgery is recommended.
Diabetes, kidney diseases, hypertension, etc. could complicate the bypass surgery further. So, it is important to discuss these medical problems with your surgeon and get them clarified before planning for a heart bypass.
Bypass Surgery and Recovery
The surgeon stops the patient’s heart temporarily and the artificial machine would function as a heart during the surgery. A graft is placed to connect the aorta to the blocked artery in such a way that the connection is given to the blocked artery just below the block. This acts as new path through which the blood travels to the heart.
Fortis Hospitals mentions that coronary bypass surgery improves symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath due to poor blood flow to the heart. It also states that in some situations, coronary bypass surgery may improve your heart function and reduce your risk of dying of heart disease.
Recovery from bypass is a slow process. Initially, the patient is given an intensive care. Slowly with medications and rehabilitation, the patient can get back to normal in 2 to 3 months. Cardiac rehabilitation programs are being organized in a customized manner for every patient depending upon the requirements.
Cardiac surgeries especially the bypass surgery requires the patient to make certain lifestyle changes to keep the heart healthy. Nutritious diet, mild exercises, and active lifestyle are recommended during the rehabilitation, which is advisable throughout the life to stay healthy.
Rehabilitation program would be still more beneficial in removing the trauma caused due to surgery, if the patient plans to combine the surgery with vacation at international destinations. Bypass surgeries are now affordable and can be done with no waiting time at international standards at affordable prices in countries like India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, and Turkey.
Air travel is not recommended at least for 4 weeks after the bypass surgery in general. This is primarily because of the reason that a 4-week rehab is required during which the patient is recommended not to be too far from the team of surgeons who have conducted the surgery. Also, the period after the rehab can be utilized as a vacation. They can spend time with their families in the chosen destination so that they can easily come out of the stress that they have due to the bypass surgery. Medical tourism platforms like Medditour help the patients in combining their treatments with vacation at international destinations.
According to Apollo Hospitals, with the help of robotic-assisted techniques, surgeons can perform the surgery in a closed-chest, beating heart environment using much smaller incisions as compared to other types of bypass surgery. These advancements help us take healthcare to a greater heights, which is of no doubts.
To conclude, bypass surgeries have a higher success rates these days. Though there are possibilities of complications like blood clots, infections, etc. the patient is likely to return to normal routine and lead a healthy life for a longer period after the bypass surgery.