Different Types of Open Heart Surgery

The heart has a basic function to pump blood to the body. But due to certain conditions or heart diseases, the functioning is impacted. In such a condition, your doctor may suggest a open heart surgery.  

Any type of surgery where the chest is cut open and surgery is carried out on the muscles, valves, or arteries of the heart, is known as open-heart surgery. It is an age-old method to treat heart problems and is also called traditional heart surgery.

Common conditions where open heart surgery is required:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD): It is amongst the most common cause of heart problems, and is caused because of the obstruction of arteries. The arteries may get blocked because of deposition of cholesterol.

• Congenital heart disease: Any abnormality or structural fault that is present at birth, requires a open heart surgery. This might also include a heart transplant.

• Valve or other heart dysfunction: Any dysfunction or disease of valves, aorta and heart muscle, is also treated with the help of open heart surgery.

Types of open heart surgeries

Open heart surgery is of many types, but which one will be performed on you is decided by your doctor after examining the medical condition. Few of the most common types of open heart surgeries are:

• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG): This is primarily used for the treatment of CAD. In this procedure, the route of blood flow is changed from the blocked blood vessel to a new one. During the surgery, the heartbeat is stopped for an interim period and an artificial system like a heart-lung machine is used to maintain the rhythm.

• Heart valve surgery: This is used to repair or replace the non-functioning valves.  

• Heart transplant: As the name suggests, this procedure is used to replace a non-functioning heart with a healthy heart

• Thoracic aortic surgery: Any procedure that is being used to restore the functioning of the aorta.

You might experience some pain, tiredness or breathlessness post surgery. Hence, a close monitoring by doctors is required before, during as well as in the recovery period. So don’t miss your follow up visits.