In the vessels that supply the heart with blood, due to various diseases, atherosclerotic plaques are formed. They interfere with normal blood circulation, lead to a narrowing of the arteries' lumen (stenosis), which threatens a person with life-threatening consequences. To restore blood flow, shunting of the heart vessels is used - creating other ways of entering the biological fluid by installing transplants around the damaged areas.
How do heart bypass grafts?
The operation is performed under general anesthesia, since surgeons perform manipulations on the open heart.
The material for the shunt is, as a rule, the internal thoracic artery. It is less prone to atherosclerotic plaques on the walls, durable as a graft. Radius artery of the hand is used less often. With its use, a preliminary study is carried out, by means of which it is clarified whether the surgical intervention will not damage the blood supply to the limb.
At the beginning of the operation, the patient is connected to the cardiopulmonary bypass. Then the surgeon makes incisions in those places where the implant is supposed to be hemmed. There may be several, depending on the number of narrowed sections of the arteries. After that, the shunts are sewn immediately.
To check the quality and functionality of the implant, they restore the natural circulation, make ultrasound and angiography.
How long does it take to bypass the heart vessels?
The duration of surgical intervention depends on its complexity, the patient's health status and the number of shunts to be installed.
Typically, a simple operation lasts 3-5 hours. More severe cases involve 6-8 hour surgical procedures.
Whether there are complications after shunting of vessels of heart?
Any operation involves certain risks, the type of intervention being considered is not an exception.
In rare cases, the following complications may occur:
- inflammation, edema at the site of incision;
- re-occlusion of the shunt;
- bleeding.
The recovery period begins in the intensive care unit, where the activity of the lungs and heart muscle is normal.
On the 7-9th day after the operation, seams are removed from the thorax (with normal adhesion). An extract from the hospital takes place on the 12-14th day.
The further way of life after bypassing the blood vessels of the heart should be healthy, which implies the rejection of bad habits, especially smoking. In addition, it is important to observe moderation in physical activity, adhere to the recommended diet, periodically visit the sanatorium.