Doctors have found that grafts are most successful when attached to major coronary arteries rather than smaller arterial branches. They have also found better results for bypass surgery when there are discrete, localized blockages rather than a buildup of plaque throughout the artery. Bypass surgery has been performed for more than 25 years. Cardiovascular surgeons have received extensive training on bypass techniques. From stress tests and angiograms, your doctor is able to determine exactly how much of the heart structure needs repair.
Some patients undergo double, triple or even quadruple bypasses, based on their specific needs.
Ordinarily, as with any serious heart surgery, blood transfusions are necessary during bypass surgery. The blood used for your surgery will be matched by type and Rh factor, and provided by a local blood bank. He acquired the AIDS virus from a transfusion received during a bypass procedure performed in 1983. Although this kind of oversight was devastating, the national blood banks have advanced a great deal in the past 15 years, and blood is screened much more carefully for contamination, including AIDS and other infectious diseases. You may also have family or friends with a compatible blood type donate blood for your surgery.