11/11/2025
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🫀 Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery — Overview
CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting), commonly known as bypass surgery, is a procedure to restore normal blood flow to the heart muscle when there are blocked or narrowed coronary arteries.
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🔍 Why It’s Done
CABG is recommended for patients with:
• Severe coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Chest pain (angina) not relieved by medicines
• Blockages in multiple coronary arteries
• Left main coronary artery narrowing
• Failed angioplasty or stent procedures
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⚙️ How the Surgery Works
1. Graft (bypass) creation:
• A healthy blood vessel is taken from another part of the body (usually the leg vein, chest artery, or arm artery).
• This vessel is attached above and below the blockage, allowing blood to “bypass” the narrowed artery.
2. Heart-lung machine:
• In most cases, the heart is temporarily stopped and a heart-lung bypass machine circulates blood during surgery.
• Sometimes, “off-pump CABG” is performed while the heart is still beating.
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🕒 Duration
• Surgery typically lasts 3–6 hours, depending on the number of bypasses needed.
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🏥 Recovery
• Hospital stay: 5–7 days (including ICU observation).
• Full recovery: 6–12 weeks.
• Patients are encouraged to join cardiac rehabilitation for safe recovery and lifestyle modification.
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💪 Benefits
• Relieves chest pain (angina)
• Improves heart function and blood flow
• Reduces risk of heart attack
• Enhances quality of life and longevity
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⚠️ Risks and Complications
Like any major surgery, CABG carries some risks:
• Infection at incision sites
• Bleeding
• Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
• Stroke or heart attack (rare)
• Memory issues or confusion (temporary in older patients)
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🍎 Post-Surgery Lifestyle Tips
• Follow a heart-healthy diet (low fat, low salt)
• Regular exercise as per doctor’s advice
• Take prescribed medicines (aspirin, beta-blockers, statins)
• Quit smoking and alcohol
• Regular follow-up check-ups