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What is heart surgery?

Open-Heart Surgery treats heart problems including signs of heart failure, congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, aneurysms, and coronary artery disease. Open heart surgery is a type of heart surgery in which the chest is opened and surgery is performed on the muscles, valves, or veins of the heart. According to available statistics, one of the most common surgeries performed in adults is CABG, which we will introduce below.

Open heart surgery is one of the invasive surgeries, but at the same time, it is interesting to know that this surgery has a low mortality rate in the hospital. You probably get stressed and scared when you hear the name open heart surgery. But it is better to know that the death rate in patients who perform open heart surgery is about 2.9%.

When is open heart surgery necessary?

When is open heart surgery performed? Open heart surgery may be performed to perform CABG (bypass surgery). Coronary artery bypass grafting may be necessary for people with coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle become narrow and stiff. This is often called "hardening of the arteries."

Hardening of the arteries occurs when fatty substances form plaques on the walls of the coronary arteries. This plaque narrows the arteries and makes it difficult for blood to flow. A heart attack can occur when blood cannot flow properly to the heart.

Doctors use open heart surgery to treat all types of heart disease. The reason for open heart surgery can be different. You may need open heart surgery for the following reasons:

  • Repair or replacement of heart valves with artificial heart valves (heart valve disease)
  • Repairing damaged or abnormal areas of the heart
  • Implantation of medical devices that help the heart beat correctly
  • جایگزینی قلب آسیب‌دیده با قلب اهدایی (پیوند قلب)
  • Cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation
  • Treatment of congenital heart defects, such as atrial septal defect (hole in the heart) or hypoplastic left heart syndrome (underdeveloped heart structures)
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Treatment of heart failure
  • Thoracic aortic aneurysm.

How is open heart surgery performed?

How is open heart surgery performed in men and women? CABG takes from 3 to 6 hours. In general, these basic steps are performed:

  • The patient is given general anesthesia (open heart surgery may also be performed in children and infants). Anesthesia ensures that the patient will be asleep and pain-free during the entire surgery.
  • The surgeon makes an 8- to 10-inch incision in the chest.
  • The surgeon cuts all or part of the patient's breastbone to expose the heart.
  • Once the heart is visible, the patient may be connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine. This device diverts blood away from the heart so that the surgeon can operate. Some newer methods do not use this device.
  • The surgeon uses a healthy vein or artery to create a new path around the blocked artery.
  • The surgeon closes the breast bone with a wire and puts the wire inside the body.
  • The main cut is sewn.

A sternum is sometimes performed on people who are at risk, such as those who have had multiple surgeries or the elderly. Sternum plating is when the breastbone is reattached after surgery with small titanium plates.

What happens after open heart surgery?

When you wake up after surgery, you will have 2 or 3 tubes in your chest. These are to help drain fluid from the area around your heart. You may have intravenous (IV) lines in your arm to provide fluids, as well as a catheter (thin tube) in your bladder to drain urine.

Even if you are diagnosed with the most serious heart disease, you will be connected to machines that monitor your heart. In case of problems, nurses will be near you to help you. After surgery, you may experience the following:

  • Constipation (a common side effect of strong pain relievers)
  • Depression or mood swings
  • Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
  • Loss of appetite
  • Memory problems
  • Muscular pain in the chest area and during open heart surgery from the side
  • Pain, bruising and slight swelling at the incision site.

معمولاً اولین شب خود را در بخش مراقبت‌های ویژه (ICU) سپری می‌کنید. سپس برای ۳ تا ۷ روز آینده به یک اتاق مراقبت معمولی منتقل خواهید‌شد.

How many days will we be hospitalized after open heart surgery?

After heart surgery, you will be hospitalized depending on your recovery. But usually you will be hospitalized for 3 to 7 days after surgery. This is provided that your stay in intensive care does not continue and there is no problem in the recovery process after open heart surgery.

When to call the doctor? You should contact your cardiologist if you experience any of the following:

  • Chest pain other than normal discomfort at the incision site
  • Ague
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Signs of infection at the surgical site, such as discharge and redness
  • Slurred speech or other stroke symptoms.