Coronary Bypass Surgery in Sugarland, TX

If you have a coronary artery blockage, blood cannot flow to certain areas of your heart. An artery blockage can cause a heart attack or heart attack-like symptoms. At Reddy Cardiology, we can evaluate your symptoms and run a series of tests and procedures to diagnose an underlying heart health issue. We specialize in holistic wellness care and lifestyle modification to prevent, manage, and reverse heart conditions. We can determine if conservative treatment would be effective for you or if you need surgical intervention. Call us to schedule a consultation to determine if you are a candidate for coronary bypass surgery in Sugarland, TX.

Understanding Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is a type of open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery designed to restore blood flow to your heart. By relieving coronary blockages, your surgeon can improve your overall heart health and prolong your life. This surgery can also reduce your risk of future heart attacks, particularly when you change your diet and lifestyle post-surgery.

When Do You Need Coronary Bypass Surgery?

Your heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout your entire body. If something interrupts the flow of blood to your heart, it cannot function properly, and you may develop a condition called ischemia. Severe ischemia will kill off heart muscle cells. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery will restore blood flow to the heart and reverse the effects of ischemia. Our team of experienced physicians and cardiologists will always look for the most conservative treatment option that will be safe and effective at treating your heart condition. We will run several diagnostic tests and procedures to evaluate the health of your heart, determine if you have a heart condition, and assess your prognosis. For early stages or mild problems, we will recommend a combination of holistic medicine, lifestyle modification, and diet and nutrition changes. For more serious or advanced cases, we will recommend surgical intervention. You may need coronary bypass surgery if you have:

• Coronary heart disease
• One or more heart attacks
• Coronary artery disease
• Ischemia
• Coronary artery blockages
• Narrowing of the main heart artery
• Chest pain due to the narrowing of more than one heart artery
• One or more diseased heart arteries

Types of Coronary Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery techniques are basically the same from patient to patient; however, there are different approaches or types of coronary bypass surgery that are used for different stages of coronary artery blockage. We will evaluate your overall health, symptoms, age, and the extent of your heart disease to determine which technique will be safest and most effective for you:

• Off-Pump CABG – During this type of surgery, you will not be connected to a heart-lung bypass machine. Your heart will not stop during the procedure. This surgery is more challenging for surgeons, so it is often not recommended.
• Minimally-Invasive CABG – This type of surgery does not require a large incision or splitting and lifting of your sternum or rib cage like in open-heart surgery. Instead, your surgeon will make smaller incisions and use thin surgical tools to access your heart and perform surgery.
• Robot-Assisted CABG – This is a form of minimally invasive CABG, but instead of using surgical tools, your surgeon will use a surgical robot to perform surgery. The robot’s arms will go through small incisions in your chest to clear artery blockages.
• Hybrid Procedure – A hybrid procedure combines traditional CABG with more advanced techniques and approaches. Most surgeons will use robot-assisted surgery on at least one artery but may use non-CABG techniques for diseased blood vessels.

Benefits of Coronary Bypass Surgery

Coronary bypass surgery has been performed since the early 1960s and is one of the safest and most effective surgical options for treating artery blockage. Advancements in techniques, technology, and equipment have made it the most reliable treatment for ischemia of the heart. The benefits of undergoing coronary bypass surgery are:

• Improved clearance of multiple blockages or blockages in certain arteries in the heart.
• Reduced risk of needing follow-up procedures.
• Reduced risk of future heart attacks or death.
• Lower risk of stroke.
• Reduced risk of memory loss and cognitive decline.
• Lower chance of needing a transfusion.
• Lower risk of injury to the heart.
• Shorter hospital stay when compared to heart surgeries performed at more advanced stages of heart disease.

Preparing for Coronary Bypass Surgery

Before you undergo coronary artery bypass surgery, we will perform multiple tests and diagnostic procedures to confirm you are a good candidate for the surgery. We may recommend an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, exercise stress test, nuclear cardiac stress test, cardiac catheterization, x-ray angiography, CT scan angiography, coronary calcium scan, and lab tests. Your physician and surgeon will review everything you can expect before, during, and after the surgery. We may recommend lifestyle changes before surgery, such as losing weight, getting more exercise, and changing your diet. We may suggest that you start or stop taking certain medications. We may also recommend physical therapy to improve your physical health and speed up your recovery post-surgery.

On the day of the surgery, you should wear comfortable clothing. You should not wear jewelry, makeup, deodorant, perfume, nail polish, contact lenses, lotions, or serums. During the procedure, you will be under general anesthesia. You may also be intubated and ventilated and put on a heart-lung bypass machine. After the procedure, you will be moved to the intensive care unit (ICU), where you will likely have IV lines, a catheter, and an oxygen mask. When you are stable, you will be transferred to a standard hospital room, where you will recover for up to 12 days (sometimes longer). When you are discharged, you will need to complete a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Schedule an Appointment With Our Cardiologists

At Reddy Cardiology, we will work closely with you on the prevention, maintenance, and reversal of heart conditions. We specialize in highly personalized treatment plans and a wide range of cardiology services. We use state-of-the-art technology to diagnose, treat, and prevent any conditions that could affect the health of your heart. Our cardiologists offer same-day appointments and welcome walk-in patients. Call us or contact us online to schedule your first appointment.