A coronary artery bypass surgery with a single valve replacement costs around £18,000 in UK. But the same procedure costs just £5500 in India. What's more, the skill-sets of the surgeons in both countries are the same; infrastructure in India is as high-end as in UK. In fact, you get the same benefits for a lesser price. Your heart care doesn't nearly have to burn a hole in your pocket. Makes perfect financial sense, isn't it? Little wonder then, that several thousands of medical tourists travel to Asian countries from USA and UK for heart-related surgeries.
The human heart, like all other organs of the body needs blood to function properly. The coronary arteries supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. But the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart gets reduced when one or more of these arteries gets blocked. Coronary bypass surgery is performed to manage the blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle by diverting the blood around the blocked arteries of the heart. During the surgery, a healthy blood vessel is taken from the patient's leg, arm, chest or abdomen and is connected to the other properly-functioning arteries in the heart. So, the blood now bypasses the blocked area and nourishes the heart.
Bypass surgery is usually performed on patients who have an imminent risk of a heart attack or have severe chest pain caused by the blockage of the arteries. The surgery is performed in many different ways. The proper procedure suitable to any patient is decided by the surgeon based on the patient's general heath conditions and the nature of the patient's specific coronary disease.
ON-PUMP BYPASS SURGERY: During a coronary bypass surgery, the surgeon makes a large incision in the chest. The rib cage is opened and the heart is stopped. Blood flow is diverted through a heart-lung machine. The surgeon then removes a healthy blood vessel from some other part of the body like the chest or the leg and attaches it in such a way as to bypass the blocked artery.
OFF-PUMP or BEATING-HEART SURGERY: In this the procedure, the heart is not stopped but is still beating. But special equipment is used to stabilize the heart during surgery.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY: In this procedure, several smaller incisions are made in the chest and the surgeon performs coronary bypass through these incisions.
However, one must remember that a coronary bypass surgery doesn't cure the disease but instead offers a way around it. Only a good diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle can keep coronary heart disease under check. Patients who have undergone the bypass surgery must quit smoking and reduce the intake of fatty foods to avoid future artery blockages. Medications are given after heart surgery to lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of blood clots.
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