Patients with coronary disease have built-up plaque inside their coronary arteries. The treatment for this disease is known as a coronary bypass operation. During the procedure, your doctor will connect a vein or an arterial graft to the aorta and a spot on the coronary artery downstream from where the blockage is. However, sometimes patients with coronary heart disease are deemed inoperable.
Why Your Coronary Disease Might Be “Inoperable”
One reason you might be a high-risk or inoperable patient for your coronary disease is because your aorta could be heavily calcified. In this case, Dr. Ciuffo would avoid using the aorta and will connect to the left and right internal mammary arteries. A beating heart surgery technique can be used to perform the bypass operation without using the heart-lung machine or any clamp across the aorta. Another concern could be that there aren’t enough conduits or veins to work with. If this is applicable to you, Dr. Ciuffo can harvest conduits from the arms, the back of the legs, the abdominal wall, the peritoneal cavity, and the chest wall. Additionally, your coronary vessels could be too severely and diffusely diseased. If a coronary vessel has multiple blockages, double grafting can be performed on individual vessels. If the entire length of the coronary is severely diseased, it can be treated with a procedure that removes plaque. Lastly, other doctors may say that your heart is simply too weak. Dr. Ciuffo takes every precaution before, during, and after surgery to increase the likelihood of surgical success.
Dr. Ciuffo and the Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Program
Dr. Ciuffo is dedicated to ensuring your coronary surgery is successful and that you have a short recovery time, even if your disease has been deemed “inoperable.” If you have any questions about your coronary disease or surgery, feel free to contact us at (330) 588-4676 or visit our contact page online.
