The Alternatives to Coronary Bypass Surgery

We’ve all heard of open heart surgery, but not all of us know exactly what it is, which is why I’m here to explain it. To start it off, heart surgery, according to MedlinePlus, “is any surgery done on the heart muscle, valves, arteries, or the aorta and other large arteries connected to the heart.” However, there is also open heart surgery, which although sounds the same there are quite some differences, for when doing open heart surgery, you’re going to have to be connected to a bypass machine during surgery, for your heart has been stopped because of it. Other than stopping your heart, the bypass machine is able to give you the necessary oxygen that your blood needs, move that blood throughout your whole body, and get rid of carbon dioxide.

There will be a need for additional catheterization labs, surgical suites and expanded cardiac rehabilitation programs. There needs to be better coordination of care to ensure timely scheduling of procedures. Education programs need to be developed emphasizing cardiac risk factors, healthy living and lifestyle modifications.

Coronary artery disease remains number one killer of the western civilization despite 40 years of aggressive drug and surgical interventions (Esselstyn). Usually, pharmaceutical drugs, such as statin, are given to try to slow the progression, but may provide uncomfortable side effects. In fact, the majority of patients discontinue statins within 1 year of treatment initiation (Maningat). Furthermore, surgery is performed to circumvent clogged arteries and literally bypass the symptoms. In the last year, 500,000 coronary bypass procedures were performed (Swaminathan et al). However, these surgeries can have significant risks, including the potential to cause further heart damage, stroke, and brain dysfunction. Thus, it is evident that these way of treatments may not be enough on its own, and that getting to the

Cardiac diseases alone have been estimated, direct and indirect costs, for the overall American population are “approximately $165.4 billion for 2009” (CDC, 2013). A survey found that heart disease accounted for 4.2 million of the hospitalizations in 2006. In 62% of these cases were short stay hospitalizations and occurred amount peoples ages 65 and older. These hospitalization rates also vary by gender, racial, and ethnic groups.

To expose the heart, you have to gently pull apart the wall of the chest along the incision (made earlier) and pin down the two flaps. Finally, pull away any of the pleural membrane that has not been pulled away with the body wall.

(Mayo Clinic, 2013) Some surgical procedures used to treat CAD are angioplasty and coronary artery bypass surgery. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) The angioplasty surgery is when your doctor inserts a catheter to the blockage in the artery and threads the wire through the narrowed arteries. (Opening blocked coronary arteries: New questions about the old answer, nd., p.2) Once the balloon is in place, at the sight of the blockage, the balloon inflates which causes the plaque to crack and the artery to become free from blockage. (Opening blocked coronary arteries: New questions about the old answer, nd., p.2) The other surgical opinion for CAD is coronary artery bypass surgery is a procedure done by a doctor using a graft. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) The doctor will construct a graft to direct the blood flow around the blockage using existing blood vessels in the body. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) Due to the fact that this procedure requires open heart surgery, it is usually used for patients with several partial or full blockages. (Mayo Clinic, 2013)

With surgical procedures, in many instances the least invasive one is considered the best option. This is especially true for people with immune disorders, such as diabetes. But this might not necessary be the truth when it comes to heart disease and diabetes. Typical surgical procedures used to help those with diabetes include bypass surgery, angioplasty and stents.

One of those patients is Louanne, who has been a competitive ballroom dancer for more than a decade. At 82, she is still quick on her feet and hasn’t let two knee replacements or a broken hip hold her back. Despite her passion, her heart couldn’t keep up because of her atrial fibrillation. When the symptoms could no longer be ignored, Louanne’s physicians at the Heart Institute recommended a cardiac ablation. Virginia Mason cardiothoracic surgeons were the first in the Pacific Northwest region to offer patients this new minimally invasive surgery. Her recovery was swift and Louanne is back on her feet again and dancing thanks to her physicians and donors like you!

This past Friday in the cardiac catheterization lab I began my day with continuing the work that I was previously assigned to do last week where I collected the data of patient's Cardiothoracic surgery. I continued to familiarize myself with the different types of Cardiothoracic surgery procedures, however, the specific reports I was working with, they are called TAVR report (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement). I later learned and was explained to, the TAVR multiple procedures and its causes, which is aortic stenosis. As for the procedures, a valve needs to be placed in the heart and each procedure delivers it a different way. The three ways the valve can be placed in the heart is through the heart's femoral artery (the transfemoral approach),

This helps to improve the blood flow to the heart. A surgical procedure known as coronary artery bypass graft is done when multiple arteries of a patient’s heart become clogged and need to be opened by performing ‘open heart’ surgery. When heart valves get damage because of Lyme disease or any other heart disease, valve replacements might also be done by the doctor.

1. Angioplasty: Kereiakes and Wetherill write that “angioplasty is a procedure in which a heart doctor inserts a balloon catheter over a thin wire across an artery. The balloon is inflated and compresses the plaque to clear the arteries of any blockage.”(p. 106-107).

There are countless scenarios throughout this series that are similar to what takes place every day in a hospital and what the doctors and nurses see on a daily basis. Grey’s Anatomy benefits its viewers through realistic portrayals. Multiple surgeries have performed on the show that are consistent with literature. This could be a medium for medication students to review their content of interest or for those who are considering joining the medical field. Coronary bypass is one of many surgeries that is often completed on this show. During this procedure blood is diverted around a section of a blocked artery in the heart to restores blood flow to a patient’s heart muscle. Coronary bypass surgeries are just as common on Grey’s Anatomy as they

The findings of this study were drawn from 735 admitted cardiac surgery patients at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital between February 2002 and December 2002 (Rothschild et al., 2005, p. 14, 18). The study did this by comparing medication error rate between intervention and control periods. Additionally, physicians were used to identified event type, preventability and severity of the medication errors. The overall findings suggest that smart pumps did not reduce the rate of serious medication

The goal of medical management is to minimized myocardial damage, preserve myocardial function, and prevent complications. These goals are achieved by reperfusing the area by emergency use of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) or thrombolytic medication. Minimizing myocardial damage is also accomplished by reducing myocardial oxygen demand and increasing oxygen supply with medications, oxygen administration, and bed rest.

Technology is transforming the medical field with the design of robotic devices and multifaceted imaging. Even though these developments have made operations much less invasive, robotic systems have their own disadvantages that prevent them from replacing surgeons all together. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is a broad notion encompassing a lot of common procedures that existed prior to the introduction of robots. It refers to general procedures that keep away from long cuts by entering the body through small, usually about 1cm, entry incisions, through which surgeons use long-handled instruments to operate on tissue inside the body. Such operations are directed by viewing equipment and, therefore, do not automatically need the use of a robot. Yet, it is not incorrect to say that computer-assisted and robotic surgeries are categories that fall under minimally invasive surgery (Robotic Surgery, n.d.).