Cohen recovered in the hospital for five days and then went home to follow a rehabilitation program as an outpatient. He gradually resumed his regular activities, including walking for exercise. He went back to work part-time after four weeks. Even given the severity of his coronary disease, Cohen is rehabilitating quite well, said Adkins. I haven't had any heart complications since the surgery.
Surgeons perform bypass surgery to treat severe blockages in the coronary arteries.
Bypass surgery may be done to restore blood flow to the heart muscle, stop chest pain, and reduce the risk of heart attack. First, the surgeon must divide the breastbone to expose the heart. To complete the bypass, a segment of a vein in the leg or arm is taken and used to build a detour around the blockage. One end of the vein is sewn into the aorta, and the other end is sewn into the coronary artery below the blockage. The vein can be spared because there are many others that can perfom the same function.