A popular surgical procedure that is used on infants and adults to repair problems with the heart. Generally, the chest is cut open so as to reach the heart without opening up the arteries. Heart surgery can fix heart valve and artery defects flawlessly, restoring blood flow or even replacing a diseased heart. This process requires open-heart surgery, known to have its downsides and potentially devastating complications. Still to this day, some heart bypass surgery is being performed without making a big opening in the middle of the body.
Types and Reasons for an Open Heart Surgery
· The most common type of heart surgery is coronary artery bypass graft (also known as open-heart heart surgery). Coronary artery bypass is used to replace the diseased coronary artery with a healthy artery or vein taken from the body in an effort to bypass blocked arteries. The surgeon is performed on patients with coronary heart disease to prevent heart attacks.
· Another type of surgery is the heart transplant that replaces the damaged or diseased heart with a healthy one from a donor.
· sometimes, having medical devices implanted is very important to help the heart function normally.
· Maze procedure is a procedure that is generally performed to treat irregular heartbeats. It is also sometimes administered in conjunction with an operation of the heart such as coronary artery bypass, valve repair etc.
· Open heart surgery can be performed on both children who experience defects at birth and adults undergoing because of heart disease or valve problems.
· High blood pressure is known as an “Aneurysm” in which there is pulsing within the main artery leaving the heart. The problem can also be treated by open-heart surgery to correct the defect.
How is heart surgery performed?
Preparations for the surgery start the night before. The patient has to be prepared by eating dinner but not after midnight. The doctors will administer general anesthesia before starting the procedure so that the patient is asleep and devoid of any feeling during the surgery. The surgeon will make a 5 to 10 incision in the chest with a surgical blade, then use the same tool to cut through the breastbone which exposes the heart and enables him to see his way around well enough.
During the surgery, a heart-lung bypass machine is connected to the patient to supply oxygenated blood to the brain and maxillofacial area leading to the overall recovery of the patient. A healthy vein or artery will be used to create a new path through the old blockage in the arteries such that blood can go through the new route provided. In some cases, sterna plating is done with small titanium plates to join the sterna bones in patients with a higher risk than others. The total duration of hospital stay usually depends on the type of surgery, a patient’s health and medical history, and a patient’s physical condition.
Risks of an open-heart surgery
The risks of Bypass Surgery ofHeart include:
· Heart attack or stroke
· Lung or kidney failure
· Chest wound infection
· Irregular heartbeat
· Severe chest pain
· Memory loss or fuzziness
· Blood clot or blood loss
· Breathing difficulties
Recovery from open-heart surgery
The client is required to remain in the ICU for some days. They are then moved to an open ward where their health status remains stable enough for them to go home after 4–6 weeks of additional care. A breathing tube was inserted by breathing experts to help with the clients breathing for the rest of their life. A line administering pain relief is inserted into a vein and they have constant monitoring from hospital professionals.
The patient is responsible for taking care to keep the incision clean and dry and avoid touching it with unprotected hands. Hot water should not come into contact with the incision line as it may indicate the site and hot soapy water can be used instead. The incision site is regularly inspected to look for signs of infection like reddish color, increased drainage or oozing from the incision site, fever, and/or warmth along the incision line. To get better results from the surgery, a good night’s sleep is important. Don’t forget to eat healthily and try to avoid making alcoholic drinks before sleeping. Also, remember that taking the pain-killing medicine just about half an hour before sleeping works well for you.
Rehabilitation
Patients who had undergone heart surgery need to participate in clinical trials that provide choices over a cross-section of environments that meet personal needs and requirements. The physical, emotional aspects, and psychological health must be factored into the therapy plan. The recovery process depends on personal commitment and resources.
Resource: https://gktiyer.blogspot.com/2021/07/everything-we-need-to-know-about-heart.html