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CD-ROM Today (UK) (Spanish) 15
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0204
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02045.txt
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1994-01-17
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$Unique_ID{BRK02045}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{The Differences Between "Open Heart" and "By-Pass" Surgery}
$Subject{open heart surgery by-pass surgery bypass surgery chest chest surgery
heart-lung machine fatty deposits blocked arteries heart muscles artery
atherosclerosis angina heart attacks heart attack graft saphenous vein heart
valves congenital abnormalities septal defects tumor tumors}
$Volume{}
$Log{
Anatomy of the Heart I*0004101.scf
Anatomy of the Heart II*0004102.scf
Blood Flow in the Heart*0004103.scf
Anatomy of the Heart Valves*0004104.scf
Function of the Heart Valves*0004105.scf
Atherosclerosis of Arteries*0009301.scf
Risk Factors of Atherosclerosis*0009302.scf}
Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
The Differences Between "Open Heart" and "By-Pass" Surgery
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QUESTION: I am a bit puzzled about heart surgery, as I have heard it called
by many names. Can you please explain the difference between "open heart
surgery" and "by-pass" surgery? I enjoy your column very much and hope that I
am soon find the answer to my question there. Thank you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: Let's see if I can put things into perspective for you. Open heart
surgery implies opening the chest and then operating on the heart. In many
cases the heart is temporarily stopped, and the circulation of blood
throughout the body is assured by a heart-lung machine which is used to pump
the blood. "By-pass" surgery is thus one of the many types of open heart
surgery performed today. It is used to overcome the blockage or partial
blockage that can restrict the flow through the arteries that bring blood to
the heart muscles themselves. The blockages are formed by fatty deposits on
the insides of the artery (atherosclerosis). This is the condition that leads
to angina or heart attacks. A graft is used, made either from artificial
material or from a vein taken from the patient. The saphenous vein of the
leg is the vein usually used for this purpose, The graft is place to carry the
blood around the area that is blocked, to restore the normal blood flow. From
3 to 9 by-passes can be placed during one operation with 4 or 5 being most
common.
In other types of heart surgery the heart itself is opened, to repair or
replace damaged valves on the inside of the heart, to repair holes in the
walls that separate the different chambers of the heart (septal defects) that
may be the result of congenital abnormalities, or in some cases to remove
tumors from the inside of the heart. Once the repairs have been accomplished,
the heart is restarted and the heart-lung machine is turned off.
Open heart surgery is no longer uncommon, but improvements in techniques
have brought it to a remarkable degree of perfection. Open heart surgery is
now performed in hospital centers across the United States.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.