CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY

CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY ( CABG )

AFTER BYPASS SURGERY, CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS NEED TO

BE OBSERVED BY THE PATIENT IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THE

RECOVERY PROCESS

Bypass Surgery is a major operation in which a healthy blood vessel

( artery or vein ) is used to form a bypass around a blockage in a coronary

( heart ) artery. The new blood vessel used is called a " graft " and therefore, the procedure is correctly termed as " coronary artery bypass graft " surgery. The original blockage in the artery remains as it is, but now there is adequate blood supply to the heart muscle beyond the blockage. Today coronary artery bypass is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures.

POST SURGICAL COURSE

Early activity begins in the ICU itself, where the patient is kept for two days after the surgery. When shifted to the ward, the patient is encouraged to take a few steps at a time to avoid the ill effects of prolonged bed rest.

FIRST WEEK AT HOME

It is important for you to pace your activities at home, especially during the first week. When you do feel tired, take a short rest before resuming your activity again. At the same time, you must not give in to those tired feelings and spend the whole day in bed.

REST

While activity and exercise are important for your recovery, there is a fine line between the right activity and excessive activity. Plan your rest periods. Make sure you get adequate sleep at night - at least seven to eight hours.

EXERCISE

Exercise improves strength after surgery and also helps increase your cardiac capacity and reduce the risk for future heart disease. Avoid exercising outdoors in extreme temperature situations. Remember not to exercise within two hours of eating a meal. Wear supportive walking shoes and comfortable clothing.

After two weeks at home, the patient should enroll in a cardiac rehabilitation programme at a hospital to accelerate the recovery process.

PRECAUTIONS

Do not exercise if you note any of the following :-

• Chest, neck, jaw, teeth, shoulder or arm pain that is unusual
• Excessive shortness of breath
• Dizziness or nausea
• Ankle swelling or increase in weight
• Heart rate too much over target
• Joint, muscle, or ligament pain.

As instructed by the physiotherapist, continue to use your breathing exerciser after getting discharged. Coughing and deep breathing are still important to prevent lung infection. Do not lift anything heavier than three to four kg for six weeks. Heavy lifting can cause the bone in your chest to separate, and prevent it from healing. Since the chest bone was cut open at the time of surgery and then stitched close, you might experience an itch or soreness in that area. It is advisable to wait for at least two weeks after discharge from the hospital before traveling. By following these precautions, recovery after the surgery will be really fast.