Are you also afraid of heart surgery? (Heart Surgery) Let's talk about everything simply!

It's normal to feel a little scared and nervous when the doctor tells you or someone you love to have "heart surgery." Many of us get nervous when we hear the words "surgery" and "operation." But don't worry. Today, we'll talk about this in a very simple way, just like we would talk to a friend. By the time you finish reading this article, you'll have a better understanding of this.

What exactly is heart surgery?

Simply put, heart surgery is any surgery that is performed on your heart or the major blood vessels that connect to it. This is a bit complicated. That's why there are cardiac surgeons who specialize in this.

Think about it, the engine of our body is the heart. When something goes wrong with this engine, this surgery is a great service to repair it and get it working properly again. This can improve the functioning of your heart, the way blood circulates in the body, and give you a new life, a new lease of life. Some also call this cardiac surgery.

When is heart surgery necessary?

There are many reasons why heart surgery may be necessary. Sometimes these may be problems that we are born with (Congenital Heart Disease). Other times they may be due to illnesses that we develop later in life.

A doctor usually doesn't decide that you need surgery right away. This decision is made only after your cardiologist has examined you, run all the necessary tests, and determined that surgery is the best or only solution to your heart problem.

However, sometimes this also has to be done as an emergency treatment . For example, if you suddenly have a heart attack, or if you suddenly discover that your blood vessel is severely blocked, you may need to have surgery immediately to save your life.

Main conditions treated with heart surgery

Let's look at some of the conditions treated with heart surgery below. Don't be afraid to see these names, let's understand them simply.

What are the main types of heart surgery?

The types of surgeries vary depending on the disease being treated. Let's take a look at some of the most commonly performed types of surgeries.

Bypass surgery (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting - CABG)

This is the "bypass" operation that many people have heard of. When an artery supplying blood to the heart is blocked, a new route is created to bypass the blockage. It's like taking a side road to bypass a busy road. A healthy artery from your own leg or the inside of your chest is used to create this new route. Depending on the number of arteries that are blocked, this is also called a "double" or "triple" bypass.

Heart valve repair or replacement (Heart Valve Surgery)

If a valve (like a door) in the heart is not working properly, it is repaired or removed and an artificial valve is inserted. This allows blood to flow properly again.

Aneurysm Repair

This involves removing the weak part of a blood vessel that has become balloon-like and replacing it with an artificial tube (graft). This prevents the vein from bursting.

Cardiac Device Insertion

Various electronic devices are implanted into the heart to help people with irregular heartbeats or those with heart failure.

• Pacemaker: Helps people with irregular heartbeats to maintain their normal rhythm.
• ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator): If the heart rate becomes dangerously fast, it detects it and delivers a small electric shock to restore it to normal.
• LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device): A small pump that helps the heart pump blood for people with severe heart failure.
• Total Artificial Heart (TAH): A machine used temporarily for someone whose heart has completely failed until a heart transplant is available.

Heart Transplant

This is the last resort. If a person's heart is completely dysfunctional and cannot be cured by any other treatment, a healthy heart from a deceased donor is transplanted. This is a very complex and rarely performed surgery.

What happens before the surgery? How should you prepare?

Once you decide to have surgery, it can take weeks or months to prepare for it. During this time, your doctors will examine you carefully.

• Medical tests: They will talk about your medical history, family medical history, and blood tests to check things like cholesterol in your blood.
• Special tests: Several tests are performed to accurately monitor the condition of the heart:
• ECG (Electrocardiogram)
• Echo Test (Echocardiogram)
• Chest X-ray
• Stress Test
• Coronary Angiogram
• Cardiac CT or MRI scan

After all of this, the doctor will clearly tell you what surgery you need to have and how to prepare for it.

What happens during the surgery?

There are several surgical methods. The medical team will decide which method is right for you.

1. Open-heart Surgery: This is the traditional method. A 6-8 inch incision is made in the middle of the chest, and the sternum is cut on both sides to reach the heart. At this time, you will be connected to a heart-lung bypass machine. This machine temporarily does the work of your heart and lungs (pumping blood and providing oxygen). This allows the surgeon to operate on a non-beating, stationary heart.

2. Off-pump Bypass Surgery: This is similar to open surgery, but the heart is not connected to a heart-lung machine. The surgery is performed while the heart is beating. This is usually done for bypass surgeries.

3. Minimally Invasive Surgery: This is also called "keyhole surgery." Instead of a large incision, the surgery is performed through a few small holes in the chest, using a camera and special instruments. Sometimes robotic surgery is also used for this. The advantage of this method is that it heals faster and leaves less scarring.

A bypass surgery usually takes about 3-6 hours. You will be anesthetized (numb) throughout the procedure, so you won't feel or remember anything.

What can you expect after surgery?

After the surgery, you will be taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) . You will need to stay in the ICU for at least a day. There, doctors and nurses will continue to monitor your condition. After that, you will be transferred to a regular ward.

How long you need to stay in the hospital depends on the surgery you had and how quickly you recover. It usually takes about 6 to 12 weeks to fully recover from open-heart surgery.

It is normal to feel things like this during recovery:

• There is some bruising, swelling, and pain at the incision site.
• A "clicking" sound from inside the chest (this will go away in a week or two).
• Loss of appetite, nausea.
• Constipation.
• Pain in the shoulders and upper back.
• Not sleeping.
• Feeling sad, mood swings.

Although these things are normal, if the pain is unbearable or you have other discomfort, don't be afraid to tell the medical team.

What are the risks of heart surgery?

Like any surgery, heart surgery has some risks. However, with today's technology, these surgeries are very successful. Some of the possible complications are:

• Allergy to anesthesia.
• Excessive bleeding.
• Infection at the incision site or inside the chest.
• Irregular heartbeat (Arrhythmias).
• Stroke.
• Effects on the kidneys.

If you have other medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease, are a smoker , or are obese , your risk may be slightly higher. That's why it's important to get all of these things under control before surgery.

When should you talk to the doctor?

After you go home, it is very important to call your doctor immediately if any risk symptoms arise during your recovery.

Seek medical advice immediately if you have the following symptoms:

• Severe chest pain that does not subside over time.
• Fever .
• Difficulty breathing .
• If the incision site is red, swollen, and oozing pus-like fluid (signs of infection).
• Persistent nausea and vomiting .
• Symptoms of a stroke, such as difficulty speaking and drooping of one side of the face.