Open Heart Surgery
In open-heart surgery the chest is cut open and surgery is performed on the muscles, valves, or arteries of the heart.
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most common type of heart surgery done on adults. During this surgery, a healthy artery or vein is attached to a blocked coronary artery. This allows the grafted artery to “bypass” the blocked artery and bring fresh blood to the heart. Coronary heart disease occurs when the blood vessels that provide blood and oxygen to the heart muscle become obstructed .The obstruction occurs when fatty material forms a plaque on the walls of the coronary arteries which narrows the arteries, making it difficult for blood to get through. When blood can’t flow properly to the heart, a heart attack may occur.
Open Heart Surgery is also done :
- To repair or replace heart valves
- To repair damaged areas of the heart
- To replace a damaged heart with a donated heart (heart transplantation)
Technique of Open heart surgery :
- The patient is given general anesthesia.
- 8- to 10-inch cut is made on the chest and breastbone is cut to expose the heart.
- The patient may be connected to a heart-lung bypass machine which moves blood away from the heart so that the surgeon can operate. Some newer procedures are done on the beating heart.
- The surgeon closes the breastbone with steel wires which are left inside .
