Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CAGB)
CAGB surgery creates new routes around narrowed and blocked arteries, allowing sufficient blood flow to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. Coronary artery disease occurs when atherosclerotic plaque or hardening of the arteries builds up in the wall of the arteries that supply the heart.
The atherosclerotic process causes significant narrowing in one or more arteries. When coronary arteries narrow more than 50 to 70%, the blood supply beyond the plaque becomes inadequate to meet the increased oxygen demand during exercise and as a result the heart muscle in the area of these arteries becomes starved of oxygen. When a blood clot forms on top of this plaque, the artery becomes completely blocked causing a heart attack.
Depending on the individual circumstance and severity of the patient’s symptoms a cardiologist surgeon will make the decision as to what treatment should be done from angioplasty where a small balloon is used to inflate the blockage. Angioplasty can produce excellent results in carefully selected patients under x ray guidance, a wire is either placed through the groin or wrist to the coronary artery. A small catheter with a balloon at the end is guided over the wire to reach the narrowed segment. The balloon is then inflated to push the artery open, and a steel mesh stent is generally inserted.
CABG surgery is performed to relieve angina in patients who have failed medical therapy and are not good candidates for angioplasty. CABG surgery is ideal for patients with multiple narrowings in multiple coronary artery branches, as is often seen in patients with diabetes. CABG surgery has been shown to improve long term survival in patients with significant narrowing multiple arteries, especially in those with decreased heart muscle pump function.
CABG is a big operation and the total recovery time varies from person to person. The factors that are most likely to influence recovery are age, severity of heart disease, smoking and diet. Tiredness after CABG is common in most people for two or three months after the surgery.
Phyathai Sriracha Hospital is giving a special promotion on Calcium Scoring CT Scan of the coronary arteries from 1 – 30 April for only 1,500 baht! This investigates the amount of plaque that has built up on the walls of the arteries causing narrowing of the arteries, angina, and heart attack.
For more information on calcium scoring, coronary artery bypass, balloon and stent or if you would like to make an appointment to speak to a cardiologist about your specific condition then please contact Phyathai Sriracha Hospital on English speaking direct line number: 087- 1000990 or email: [email protected]
