How long do they live after coronary artery bypass surgery: possible complications

What is bypass surgery?

First of all, you need to understand what vascular bypass is, which is often the only way to restore their vital functions.

The disease is associated with poor passage of blood through the vessels leading to the heart. Circulatory disorders can occur in one or several coronary vessels-arteries at once. This is precisely the indication that implies such an operation as coronary artery bypass grafting.

After all, if even one vessel is blocked, it means that our heart does not receive the required amount of blood, and with it the nutrients and oxygen that saturate the heart, and from it - our entire body, with everything necessary for life. A lack of all these components can lead not only to serious heart disease, but in some cases even leads to death.

Long-term consequences of the intervention

Coronary artery bypass surgery is a serious intervention, so after it the patient is obliged to maintain a healthy diet, stop smoking and monitor his condition in every possible way. First of all, this concerns maintaining a strict diet and severe fat restriction. You will also have to take a number of medications. As a rule, these are 4 groups of drugs at once:

• Drugs that reduce blood clotting (cardiomagnyl, aspirin, etc.). The duration of treatment is lifelong.
• Statins are aimed at reducing bad cholesterol and, accordingly, increasing good cholesterol.
• ACE inhibitors. Necessary for maintaining the proper condition of the coronary arteries and lowering blood pressure.
• Beta blockers switch the heart muscle to an economical mode of operation, reducing heart rate.

Indirect anticoagulants will have to be taken in addition to the medications indicated above if the patient has undergone additional heart surgery. In the future, it is imperative to warn about undergoing CABG during other surgical interventions, dental treatment, injuries, as well as when prescribing other medications.



Cardiac bypass surgery is an operation prescribed for coronary heart disease. When, as a result of the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries supplying blood to the heart, a narrowing of the lumen (stenosis) occurs, this threatens the patient with the most serious consequences. The fact is that if the blood supply to the heart muscle is disrupted, the myocardium ceases to receive enough blood for normal functioning, and this ultimately leads to its weakening and damage. During physical activity, the patient experiences chest pain (angina). In addition, if there is a lack of blood supply, necrosis of a section of the heart muscle can occur—myocardial infarction.

Of all heart diseases, coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common pathology. This is the number one killer who does not favor either men or women. Impaired blood supply to the myocardium as a result of blockage of the coronary vessels leads to a heart attack, causing severe complications, including death... The disease most often occurs after 50 years of age and affects mainly men.

In case of coronary artery disease, to prevent a heart attack, as well as to eliminate its consequences, if conservative treatment fails to achieve a positive effect, patients are prescribed coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This is the most radical, but at the same time the most adequate way to restore blood flow.

CABG can be performed for single or multiple arterial lesions. Its essence is that in those arteries where blood flow is impaired, new bypass paths are created - shunts. This is done using healthy vessels that are attached to the coronary arteries. As a result of the operation, blood flow is able to bypass the site of stenosis or blockage.

Thus, the goal of CABG is to normalize blood flow and ensure adequate blood supply to the heart muscle.

Surgery or bypass surgery

If a person is already experiencing problems with their heart function and there are signs that the blood vessels are clogged, the doctor may prescribe medication treatment. But if it is determined that drug treatment has not helped, then in this case an operation is prescribed - bypass surgery of the heart vessels. The operation is carried out in the following sequence:

1. After the patient has been given anesthesia on the operating table, an incision is made on his chest, no more than 25 cm. During the operation, the patient is connected to an artificial respiration apparatus, which performs the function of saturating the tissues of the entire body with blood while the heart is not working. Currently, there are more advanced techniques that allow bypass surgery of heart vessels without connecting the patient to a heart-lung machine. This technique is used in cases where the patient has contraindications to the use of such a technique. To put it simply, during the operation the heart itself continues to supply the body with blood.
2. The next stage of the operation is to create a bypass for blood flow and block the clogged area. For these purposes, an artery taken from the patient’s leg is used, since it is the longest in the human body. One end is sewn to the artery, and the other is connected to a hole made in the aorta. There have been cases when surgeons used an artery from the patient’s chest for these purposes, since it is already connected to the aorta. Doctors can only sew its second end to the coronary artery.

This bypass is called a shunt. For proper blood flow in the human body, a new pathway is created that will function at full strength. This operation lasts about 4 hours, after which the patient is placed in an intensive care ward, where he is monitored by medical staff around the clock.

CABG – the secret lies in positivity

Driver Alexander Shapovalov, at the age of 66, underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, reviews of which inspired him with confidence before medical manipulation. Treatment was needed after two heart attacks. The first occurred in November 2006 and came as a complete surprise to Alexander and his family.

Before the attack, no symptoms appeared: “... I was active, in demand at work and at home. The only evidence of an unfavorable course of events was shortness of breath, whistling noises when breathing, and chest pain. A couple of days before the attack, I came across a brochure on how to behave during an attack. It saved my life. Having managed to call an ambulance, I opened the door in advance, before my strength left me, so that the doctors could enter the apartment without obstacles.

The team took me to the hospital, where I spent 1.5 weeks. After discharge, the doctor advised me to undergo angiography of blood vessels. He obeyed without talking. I didn’t know I wanted to live so much until I was faced with the threat of dying prematurely. The examination revealed blockage of the coronary arteries. Doctors recommended CABG surgery on the heart, the reviews and prognosis were favorable. I didn’t listen to the professionals and paid bitterly for my mistrust. Then a second attack occurred, after which I miraculously pulled out.

The wife insisted on CABG surgery, reviews of which she carefully studied on the Internet, reading relevant materials, corresponding with people who had experienced the misfortune. I gave in to persuasion and decided to undergo bypass surgery in Israel, although I previously thought that I would live as long as measured from above. The operation was carried out at the Assuta clinic under intravenous anesthesia. I woke up in the intensive care ward, surrounded by wires and tubes, completely sterile.

The next day I was transferred to a regular ward, where the doctors immediately began to accustom me to mastering physical activity. Before this, I studied reviews about cardiac coronary artery bypass surgery on forums and saw that patients were writing about their imminent return to normal life. My body ached, I was not in the mood, I wanted to lie down and not move, but the doctor insisted on exercises. On the first day of transfer to the ward, I sat while the nurse adjusted my bed.

Three days later I was slowly walking around the bed. My strength returned and my health improved. Six days later I was walking up and down the stairs. On the seventh day I was sent home. I did not expect that patient reviews convey the specifics of coronary artery bypass surgery so accurately. Indeed, only a week after the most complex surgical intervention, and I was sent home, where the care and treatment of the wound is carried out by a nurse who comes to check the state of affairs. At first I couldn’t even believe it, but looking back, I realized that I had done a lot in a week and recovered well.

Special thanks to the doctors. Despite my resistance, they gently but persistently did their job. They gave me a rehabilitation program. I went home and strictly followed the doctors’ orders. At first I took painkillers due to severe chest pain. I remember how the nurse said - you don’t need to be a hero if it hurts a lot. You need to take the drug and calm the pain.

A month after the operation, I was allowed to drive, but the ban on transporting passengers has not yet been lifted. They said they would look at his condition and see when he would be allowed to return to duty. The scar has already healed and looks neat. The wound on the leg, from which the vein was removed, has almost healed. Reading about coronary artery bypass surgery and patient reviews about sex, I noticed that people who had surgery were interested in this issue. It’s interesting, but after the first heart attack I didn’t even want to think about sex. My wife and I have been together for 44 years, during which time she has gained weight and does not evoke such desire as before. However, after CABG, I began to crave intimacy more every day.

I can leave a review about the CABG operation based on my own impressions. Throughout the entire period of treatment, I tried not to lose heart, but, on the contrary, joke, laugh, and be positive. I tried not to think about a possible complication, since bypass surgery ceases to be an exotic operation, becoming a standard procedure. I hope that in Russia the level of medicine will soon reach that of Israel. I believe that positivity helped me cope with the situation. Assuta's doctors carried out work of adequate quality. I am happy and plan to live as long as possible. And, of course, the doctors showed their skill, giving me the opportunity to enjoy every day.”

Positive aspects of the operation

Why should a person who has all the prerequisites for bypass surgery necessarily undergo surgery, and what exactly can coronary artery bypass surgery give him:

• Completely restores blood flow in the area of ​​coronary vessels where there was poor patency.
• After surgery, the patient returns to his normal lifestyle, but there are still some minor restrictions.
• The risk of myocardial infarction is significantly reduced.
• Angina goes into the background, and attacks are no longer observed.

The technique of performing the operation has been studied for a long time and is considered very effective, allowing to prolong the patient’s life for many years, so the patient should decide to bypass the heart vessels. Feedback from patients is only positive, most of them are satisfied with the outcome of the operation and their further condition.

But, like every surgical intervention, this procedure also has its disadvantages.

What is the essence of surgery?

The operation performed on blood vessels is called bypass surgery. Such an intervention allows you to restore circulatory function, normalize the functioning of blood vessels, and ensure the flow of blood to the main vital organ. The first vascular surgery was performed in 1960 by American specialist Robert Hans Goetz.

The operation creates a new path for blood flow. When it comes to heart surgery, vascular grafts are used for this.

to the point ↑

Possible complications during bypass surgery

Any surgical intervention is already a risk for a person, and interference with the functioning of the heart is a special matter. What are the possible complications after cardiac bypass surgery?

1. Bleeding.
2. Thrombosis of deep venous vessels.
3. Atrial fibrillation.
4. Myocardial infarction.
5. Stroke and various types of circulatory disorders in the brain.
6. Surgical wound infections.
7. Narrowing of the shunt.
8. After surgery, the stitches may come apart.
9. Chronic pain in the wound area.
10. Keloid postoperative scar.

It seems that the operation was carried out successfully and there are no alarming notes. Why can complications occur? Could this be somehow related to the symptoms that were observed in the person before the bypass surgery was performed? Complications are possible if, shortly before surgery, the patient experienced:

• acute coronary syndrome;
• unstable hemodynamics;
• severe type of angina;
• atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries.

In order to prevent all possible complications, before the operation the patient undergoes a series of studies and procedures.

However, it is possible to perform an operation using not only a blood vessel from the human body, but also a special metal stent.

What is heart bypass surgery?

Cardiac bypass surgery, or CABG for short, is divided into 3 types:

• single;
• double;
• triple.

In particular, this division into types is associated with the degree of damage to the human vascular system. That is, if a patient has a problem with only one artery that requires the introduction of a single bypass, then this is a single, with two - double, and with three - triple heart bypass. What it is and how long people live after surgery can be judged from some reviews.

Contraindications for stenting

The main advantage of stenting is that this procedure has almost no contraindications. The only exception can be the refusal of the patient himself.

But there are still some contraindications, and doctors take into account the severity of the pathologies and take all precautions to ensure that their impact on the course of the operation is minimal. Stenting or bypass surgery of cardiac vessels is contraindicated in people with renal or respiratory failure, with diseases that affect blood clotting, or with allergic reactions to drugs containing iodine.

In each of the above cases, the patient is first treated with therapy, its goal is to minimize the development of complications of the patient’s chronic diseases.

Shunt Statistics

According to statistical data and the results of sociological surveys, both in our country and abroad, the majority of operations are successful. Only 2% of patients cannot tolerate bypass surgery. To derive this figure, 60 thousand case histories were studied.

The most difficult period for the patient is the postoperative period. A year after the operation, restoration of respiratory function and heart function, about 97% of patients survive.

The result of CABG is influenced not only by the professionalism of cardiac surgeons, but also by individual factors, such as tolerance to anesthesia, concomitant diseases and the condition of the body as a whole.

One study included 1041 patients. According to the results, about 200 patients not only successfully underwent surgery, but also crossed the ninety-year mark.

How is the stenting procedure performed?

After the patient is given an injection of anesthetic, a puncture is made in his arm or leg. It is necessary so that a plastic tube – an introducer – can be inserted into the body through it. It is necessary so that all the necessary instruments for stenting can then be inserted through it.

A long catheter is inserted through a plastic tube into the damaged part of the vessel and installed in the coronary artery. After this, a stent is inserted over it, but with a deflated balloon.

Under pressure from the contrast agent, the balloon inflates and expands the vessel. The stent remains in a person's coronary vessel for life. The duration of such an operation depends on the extent to which the patient’s vessels are damaged, and can reach up to 4 hours.

The operation is performed using X-ray equipment, which allows you to accurately determine the location where the stent should be placed.

How many years do they live after CABG?

Every patient wants to know how many years they can live after bypass surgery, and what needs to be done to prolong their life. After surgery, the patient’s quality of life changes for the better:

• the risk of developing ischemia is reduced;
• general condition improves;
• lifespan increases;
• the risk of mortality is reduced.

After coronary artery bypass surgery, most people can continue to live their normal lives for many years.

After surgery, patients have the opportunity to live a full life. According to statistics, in almost all people, coronary artery bypass surgery helps to get rid of repeated blockage of blood vessels. Also, with the help of surgery, it is possible to get rid of many other disorders that were present before.

It is quite difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question of how many years people live after CABG, because everything depends on individual indicators. The average lifespan of an installed shunt is about 10 years in older patients, and slightly longer in younger patients. After the expiration date, a new operation will be required to replace the old shunts.

It has been noted that those patients who, after installing a coronary artery bypass graft, get rid of such a bad habit as smoking live much longer. In order to enhance the effect of the operation and prevent complications, the patient will need to make every effort. When coronary artery bypass surgery is completed, the doctor must familiarize the patient with the general rules of behavior in the postoperative period.

Advice: to a certain extent, the answer to the question of how many years a person will live after surgery depends on the patient himself. Compliance with general recommendations will help improve the quality of life and prevent recurrent heart pathologies.

First days after surgery

After a patient has undergone cardiac bypass surgery, for the first days he is under the close attention of doctors. After the operating room, he is sent to the intensive care unit, where his heart function is restored. It is very important during this period that the patient’s breathing is correct. Before the operation, he is taught how he will have to breathe after the operation. The first rehabilitation measures are carried out in the hospital, which should be continued in the future, but in a rehabilitation center.

Most patients, after such a rather complex heart operation, return to the life they led before it.

What happens to the patient after surgery?

After surgery, the patient usually ends up in intensive care, where he undergoes a short course of restorative breathing procedures. Depending on the individual characteristics and capabilities of each person, a stay in intensive care may well last for 10 days. Next, the operated patient is sent for subsequent recovery to a special rehabilitation center.

The seams, as a rule, are carefully treated with antiseptics. If healing is successful, they are removed approximately 5-7 days later. Often there is a burning sensation and nagging pain in the area of ​​the sutures. After about 4-5 days, all side symptoms disappear. And after 7-14 days the patient can already take a shower on his own.

Rehabilitation after surgery

As after any type of surgery, the patient cannot do without the recovery stage. Rehabilitation after cardiac bypass surgery continues for 14 days. But this does not mean that a person who has undergone such a complex procedure can continue to lead the same lifestyle as before the illness.

He definitely needs to reconsider his life. The patient should completely remove drinks containing alcohol from his diet and quit smoking, since these habits can become provocateurs for a further rapid progression of the disease. Remember, no one will give you a guarantee that the next operation will be completed successfully. This call suggests that it is time to lead a healthy lifestyle.

One of the main factors to avoid relapse is diet after cardiac bypass surgery.

What do experts say about life after surgery?

According to cardiac surgeons, after heart bypass surgery a person can live 10-20 years or more. Everything is purely individual. However, according to experts, for this it is necessary to regularly visit the attending physician and cardiologist, undergo examinations, monitor the condition of the implants, follow a special diet and engage in moderate but daily physical activity.

According to leading doctors, not only older people, but also younger patients, for example, with heart disease, may need surgical intervention. They assure that a young body recovers faster after surgery and the healing process occurs more dynamically. But this does not mean that you should be afraid to undergo bypass surgery in adulthood. According to experts, heart surgery is a necessity that will prolong life by at least 10-15 years.

Summary: as you can see, how many years people live after heart bypass surgery depends on many factors, including the individual characteristics of the body. But the fact that the chance to survive is worth taking is an indisputable fact.

Diet and nutrition after surgery

After a person who has undergone bypass surgery returns home, he wants to eat food that is familiar to him, and not the diet cereals that he was given in the hospital. But the person can no longer eat the way he did before the operation. He needs special food. After bypass surgery of the heart vessels, the menu will have to be revised; the amount of fat must be minimized.

You should not eat fried fish and meat, take margarine and butter in small doses and preferably not every day, and remove ghee from your diet altogether, replacing it with olive oil. But don't worry, you can eat unlimited amounts of red meat, poultry and turkey. Doctors do not recommend eating lard and pieces of meat with layers of fat.

The diet of a person who has undergone such a serious operation as heart bypass surgery should include a lot of fruits and vegetables after the operation. Drinking 200 g of freshly squeezed orange juice every morning will have a very good effect on your heart health. Every day your diet should contain nuts - walnuts and almonds. Blackberries are very useful, as they are rich in antioxidants, and they help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Fatty dairy products should also be avoided. It is better to take dietary bread, which does not contain either butter or margarine.

Try to limit yourself to carbonated drinks, drink more purified water, you can drink coffee and tea, but without sugar.

How long can you live after bypass surgery (statistics)

Bypass surgery was first performed almost half a century ago and due to the low level of development of medicine. in general, as well as insufficient equipment with both medical supplies and technical facilities, could really lead to early death.

Over the past ten years, a long-term study has been conducted that examined the hospital mortality rate among those undergoing surgery to determine how long patients on average survive after heart bypass surgery. According to this study, the death rate during the postoperative period was about two percent, provided that More than 60 thousand case histories were studied. The postoperative periods are the most difficult, but over a period of time the survival rate increases significantly, and rates reach 97 percent.

Life expectancy is also affected by the presence of pathologies in the patient, but, as a rule, they can affect the overall life expectancy and do not lead to immediate death. If the patient has acute left ventricular dysfunction, bypass surgery may not be performed at all.

Another study was conducted three times longer (30 years), but did not study medical records, but directly the people themselves. At 15 years after bypass surgery, the mortality rate among those who had undergone surgery was exactly the same as that of the general population.

About 200 patients (out of 1041 studied) lived to an age of over 90 years, and the level of discomfort in the chest area was significantly reduced. Since the blood flow was normalized, and the signs of angina disappeared.