Coronary Artery Bypass
Coronary Artery Bypass
Coronary artery bypass is a common type of heart procedure, and one that is available from Dr. David Filsoof at Beverly Hills Cardiovascular. Heart disease is the single most common cause of death in the United States – a fact that is true for both women and men. If you are suffering from coronary heart disease and would like to improve your quality of life and overall health, it may be that coronary artery bypass Los Angeles, is the right treatment for your needs. Of course, before getting to that point, you’ll need to have a consultation with your doctor to discuss the benefits and risks of this procedure.
How Does Coronary Artery Bypass Work?
The name ‘coronary artery bypass’ is a great description of what happens during this procedure. The blocked or clogged coronary artery is bypassed through the use of a vessel taken from another part of the body. When completed, the blood will be able to flow through this new section of vessel, going around the blockage and improving the overall flow of blood to the heart. Some patients will undergo just a single bypass, while others will have multiple bypasses completed in the same operation.
Assessing the Situation
Before you are scheduled for bypass surgery, your doctor will want to review the status of your health and confirm that this is the right treatment. It may be that you are having chest pains on a consistent basis, or you might fall short of breath after performing even moderate activities. There will also be consideration given to the status of your left main coronary artery, given its importance in delivering blood to the left ventricle of the heart.
Also, many patients who are recommended to have a bypass or multiple bypasses will have already attempted other treatments, such as a stent placement. So, it may be after a period of trying other treatment approaches that your doctor decides to discuss the possibility of a bypass.
Setting Your Expectations
If you have any questions about the specifics of the procedure you are set to undergo, it’s best to talk directly with your doctor well in advance of the scheduled surgery date. However, the points below can offer you some basic guidelines on what patients can expect as part of coronary bypass.
– You will need to be placed under general anesthesia during the procedure, which is likely to last a few hours depending on the specifics of your case
– The rib cage will likely need to be opened to access the heart and perform the bypass. In some cases, a minimally invasive version of coronary bypass surgery is possible
– Patients will typically spend time in the ICU after the procedure, so their condition can be monitored in the early stages of recovery
– It takes at least several weeks to recover from bypass surgery, and you will need to work together with your doctor for safe timing of the resumption of various activities
Make Your Appointment Today
Coronary artery bypass is relatively common, yet it is still a very serious surgery. The best way to get started is to give us a call at Beverly Hills Cardiovascular to schedule an appointment. Dr. Filsoof will be happy to review your medical history with you and discuss which treatment options may be right for your needs. Beyond coronary artery bypass, we also offer services like cardioversion, treadmill exercise stress test, nuclear stress test, and many more. Thank you for taking the time to visit and we look forward to serving you.
