CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT "CABG"

What You Should Know:

• Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is usually done to open up one or more arteries in your heart. You may hear this surgery referred to as a CABG (pronounced cabbage) or open heart surgery. Parts of your heart do not get enough blood if an artery is blocked. An artery is a blood vessel (tube) that carries blood with oxygen through your body. During surgery, a graft is used to bypass the blocked vessel and reconnect blood flow to your heart muscle. The graft is a piece of a blood vessel from elsewhere in your body.
  
• After coronary artery bypass graft surgery, you may need to make some lifestyle changes. These changes include eating healthy and low fat foods, exercising, and quitting smoking. You may also need to learn ways to manage stress. 

RISKS:

You may get an infection or blood clots. A blood clot could cause you to have a stroke. You may bleed too much and need a blood transfusion. You could have trouble breathing. There is also a risk that you may die during surgery. If you do not have surgery, you may have severe problems that could cause death.

GETTING READY:

The week before your surgery: 

• You may need a blood transfusion if you lose a large amount of blood during surgery. Some people are worried about getting AIDS, hepatitis, or the West Nile virus from a blood transfusion. The risk of this happening is very low. Blood banks test all donated blood for AIDS, hepatitis, and the West Nile virus. You may be able to donate your own blood before surgery. This is called autologous blood donation. This must be done no later than three days before surgery. You may also ask a family member or friend with the same blood type to donate blood for you. This is called directed blood donation.
  
• ICU: You may be given a tour of the intensive care unit (ICU) before your surgery to help you become familiar with where you will go after surgery.
  
• Medicine:
  
  • Ask your caregiver if you need to stop taking aspirin or any other blood thinning medicines before your procedure.
    
  • Ask your caregiver before taking any over-the-counter medicine, vitamins, herbs, food supplements, or laxatives.
    
  • Take antibiotic medicine before surgery if given to you by your caregiver.
    
• Tests: You may need to have blood drawn for tests. Ask your caregiver for more information about these and other tests that you may need. Write down the date, time, and location of each test.

The night before your surgery: 

• You may be given medicine to help you sleep.
  
• Ask caregivers about directions for eating and drinking.

The day of your surgery: 

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your surgery.
  
• Ask your caregiver before taking any medicine on the day of your surgery. These medicines include insulin, diabetic pills, blood pressure pills, or heart pills. Bring a list of your medicines or the pill bottles with you to the hospital.
  
• Do not wear contact lenses on the day of surgery. You may wear glasses.
  
• An anesthesiologist may talk to you before your surgery. This caregiver will give you medicine to make you sleepy during surgery.
  
• You or a close family member may be asked to sign a legal piece of paper (consent form). It gives your caregiver permission to do surgery. It also explains the possible problems that can happen with surgery and your choices. Be sure all your questions have been answered before you sign this form.
  
• Ask a family member or friend to drive you home when you leave the hospital. Do not drive yourself home.

TREATMENT:

What will happen: 

• You may be weighed and asked to change into a hospital gown. An IV catheter may be put into a large blood vessel under your collarbone or in your neck. This is called a central line. You may be given medicine in your IV to help you relax or make you drowsy. You will be taken on a cart to the operating room. You will get medicine called general anesthesia to prevent pain and keep you asleep during surgery.
  
• An incision (cut) will be made down the middle of your chest. Caregivers will use tubes to connect your heart to a bypass machine. This machine keeps blood out of the heart during surgery. A graft will be sewn to your heart above and below the block. After surgery, the blood will again be allowed to flow through your heart. Your chest is then closed using wire and staples or stitches.