A breakthrough was made by EMC Cikarang Hospital, belonging to the EMC Healthcare group, in carrying out open heart surgery. For the first time, coronary heart bypass surgery was carried out at hospitals in Purwakarta, Karawang and Bekasi (Purwabeka) districts.
The EMC Cikarang Hospital medical team performs coronary heart bypass surgery or in medical language it is called Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery on male patients with a success rate of 100%.
The team of doctors from the Heart and Vascular Center of EMC Hospital Cikarang , dr. Marolop Pardede, Sp.BTKV, Subsp.VE (K), MH perform the CABG surgical procedure. The open heart surgery was carried out in a room equipped with sophisticated heart and lung machines. The CABG procedure is the creation of a new pathway or bypass around the coronary arteries which are blocked due to fat deposits. This new, connected pathway will make blood flow to the heart organ smoother. This condition will ensure that heart cells get enough nutrition and oxygen.
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) or commonly known as heart bypass surgery is a surgical procedure intended for people with coronary heart disease. The aim of carrying out this procedure is to create a new channel through blocked blood vessels due to narrowing of the arteries which are blocked due to the buildup of plaque or fat in the arteries. The buildup of plaque or fat itself can cause arteries to rupture and form blood clots which can lead to a lack of oxygen in the heart and cause the heart to stop functioning, triggering a heart attack.
In general, heart bypass surgery is not the first choice for treating coronary heart disease because even though it can reduce the risk of heart attack, relieve symptoms of chest pain, and increase life expectancy by up to 10 years, this operation has quite high risks.
What is the procedure for heart bypass surgery ?
In general, heart bypass surgery lasts 3-6 hours depending on the number of blood vessels grafted to replace the function of the narrowed blood vessels. This alternative pathway can be operated using a heart-lung bypass machine, there are also techniques without using a heart-lung bypass machine, the heart is operated on while it is beating. This technique has several advantages compared to techniques that use a heart-lung bypass machine, then blood vessels from the legs (saphenous vein), chest (internal mammary artery), or arm (radial artery).
The blood vessels will then be removed and the doctor will make an incision in the breastbone to reach the heart. Then, the heart will be stopped from pumping for a while so the doctor can attach a blood vessel graft.
During the procedure, the function of circulating blood throughout the body carried out by the heart is replaced by a heart-lung bypass machine so that other organs continue to receive oxygen while blood flow to the heart is restored.
After blood flow to the heart has been restored and transplanted, the patient's heart will be given an electric shock with controlled strength to get it pumping again. Finally, the incised sternum will be put back together with wire and the skin will be sutured with thread.
When Should Heart Bypass Surgery Be Considered?
Heart bypass surgery should be considered if:
- The patient's heart disease cannot be treated with angioplasty and/or heart stenting (a minimally invasive procedure to widen narrowed arteries by inflating a balloon inserted through a catheter).
- If more than one coronary artery is blocked.
- The heart weakens due to some blockage.
- The left coronary artery is blocked.