What is bypass surgery?

Bypass surgery refers to a surgical procedure that helps in diverting the blood flow around a blocked or partially blocked artery of the heart. It is done to create a new pathway to the heart and improving the flow of blood to the heart muscle. During this surgery, a healthy, well-functioning blood vessel is taken from the arm, chest or leg and then connected to the other arteries in the heart so that the blood can bypass the blocked or the diseased area.

Problems such as shortness of breath and chest pain, due to poor flow of blood tend to improve after a bypass surgery. It may also improve the heart function and reduce the risk of a heart disease.

Indication

One may require a bypass surgery in the following cases:

· Suffering from severe chest pain that is caused due to the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle

· If more than one coronary artery is diseased, and the left ventricle is not functioning well

·The main coronary artery in the left is narrowed or blocked, as this artery supplies the maximum blood to your left ventricle

·An artery blockage that cannot be cured by angioplasty or a previously done angioplasty or stent placement has been unsuccessful

·Re-stenosis, which involves the narrowing of the artery even after a stent replacement

·In case of emergency situation such as a heart attack, where the patient does not respond to other treatments