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Open Heart Surgery --- Heart Attack
Open Heart surgery is a surgery that requires opening the chest to perform the surgery of the heart. Open Heart generally denotes opening of the chest to perform surgery and not the heart as the heart may or may not be opened since many alternative methods of surgeries are available. Surgery of the heart muscle, arteries, valves and other structures are included in open-heart surgery. With the advancement of medical science and technological growth doctors are more equipped and competent to handle open-heart surgeries. Indiaprofile.com offers information regarding heart surgeries in association with the best medical facilities of Apollo Hospitals.
Open Heart Surgery
During a conventional open-heart surgery, a heart lung machine is used to provide blood to the brain and other vital organs of the body. It supplies oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the body. New procedures of heart surgery which are minimal invasive surgery done through small cuts made on the heart or robotic assisted heart surgery, are also included in open heart surgery which is confusing. However these surgeries are performed on patients as an alternative to the open-heart surgery that also requires the heart-lung machine.
Heart surgery is a surgery of the heart or of primary blood vessels like Vena cavae, Pulmonary artery, Pulmonary veins, Aorta. Reduced blood supply to the heart includes Heart diseases also include Ischaemic heart disease. Congenital heart disease, heart disease that exists at birth and other problems caused by endocarditis, which leads to treating valves, and includes heart transplantation are other serious heart disorders.
The following are the open-heart surgeries that are performed with the heart lung machine as the support system :
Bypass (cardiac revascularization)
Valve replacements
Heart transplants
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Fat, cholesterol and other substances clog the coronary arteries and so the flow of blood to the heart vessels becomes slow leading to chest pain or heart attack. Increasing the blood flow can reduce the risk of heart attack.
Around the blocked part of the coronary artery the surgeon make a bypass by using a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body.
-The open end of an artery detached from the chest wall can be attached below the blocked area of the coronary artery.
-A large vein is taken from the leg, one end of which is attached to the aorta of the heart while the other end is grafted just below the blocked area of the coronary artery.
-These two bypasses ensure free flow of blood to the heart muscle.
Depending on the blockage of the coronary artery one, two, three or more bypass grafts can de done on a patient.
Heart Valve Surgery
Heart Valve surgery includes the repair or the replacement of the four valves inside the heart that pass blood unidirectional. These valves may become narrowed causing obstruction to the flow of the blood or it may allow blood to flow back to the heart. This leads to the inefficient functioning of the heart. Infection or endocarditis also cause damage to these valves. Aortic and mitral valves are the most commonly involved valves. The surgery involves the replacement of these valves.
Aortic Surgery
Aorta is the main blood vessel passing through the heart that provides blood to all the other parts of the body. It may become diseased by enlargement or by separating into outer and inner layer. The diseased segment is replaced through surgery.
Atrail Septal Defect
This is a congenital or birth defect. The atrail defect is a hole in the wall between the left atrium and the right atrium. This usually results in the mixing of the blood across the hole which causes symptoms of breathlessness. The atrail defect can be repaired by closing the patch.
Heart Transplant
Removing a diseased heart and replacing it with a healthy heart is heart transplantation. Healthy heart can be obtained from donors who are brain dead but on life support system. The healthy heart when removed is preserved in a solution. With the patient in deep anesthetic sleep, a cut is made on his breastbone. The heart-lung bypass machine is used for the oxygen rich blood to be supplied to the brain and other important organs of the body. The diseased heart is removed and the donor’s heart is stitched in place. The heart-lung machine is removed and the blood flows through the transplanted heart.
There are major risks attached to heart transplantation. Drug infection is one of the infections that have to be looked into with great care. Heart transplantation gives life to the patient for a period of two years after the operation. The graft rejection is the major cause of the short span of life expectancy after surgery.
Heart Attack Symptoms and Warning Signs
A blockage in the heart's arteries may reduce or completely cut off the blood supply to a portion of the heart. This can cause a blood clot to form and totally stop blood flow in a coronary artery, resulting in a heart attack (also called an acute myocardial infarction or MI).
Irreversible injury to the heart muscle usually occurs if medical help is not received promptly. Unfortunately, it is common for people to dismiss heart attack symptoms.
What are the warning signs of a heart attack?
The American Heart Association and other medical experts say the body likely will send one or more of these warning signals of a heart attack:
* Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes.
* Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight. It may be located in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw, or inside the arms or shoulders.
* Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
* Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
* Paleness or pallor.
* Increased or irregular heart rate.
* Feeling of impending doom.
Not all of these signs occur in every attack. Sometimes they go away and return. If some occur, get help fast. IF YOU NOTICE ONE OR MORE OF THESE SIGNS IN YOURSELF OR OTHERS, DON'T WAIT. CALL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (9-1-1) RIGHT AWAY! In the event of cardiopulmonary arrest (no breathing or pulse), call 9-1-1 and begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately.
How does the doctor know if I've had a heart attack?
The actual diagnosis of a heart attack must be made by a doctor who has studied the results of several tests. The doctor may:
* Review the patient's complete medical history.
* Give a physical examination.
* Use an electrocardiogram (or EKG) to discover any abnormalities caused by damage to the heart.
* Use a blood test to detect abnormal levels of certain enzymes in the bloodstream.