SURGICAL TREATMENT: CORONARY BYPASS OPERATION - DOES BYPASS SURGERY INCREASE LIFE EXPECTANCY? THEN WHOM DO YOU ADVISE TO GO IN FOR BYPASS OPERATION?

Q. Does bypass surgery increase life expectancy?

A. It is doubtful if bypass surgery adds years to the patient's life, but it does add life to his years. The quality of life improves, sometimes dramatically, and the need for medication is substantially reduced.

Q. Then whom do you advise to go in for bypass operation?

A. Presently the bypass operation is advised in cases where

* the medical treatment fails to adequately relieve the patient of his angina,

* unstable angina which shows no signs of settling down,

* status anginosus which is refractory to treatment and infarction becomes imminent,

* stable angina exists, which is severe enough to interfere with normal daily activities of the patient, and

* critical narrowing of the main trunk of the left coronary artery is visualised on coronary angiography. The chances of survival of these patients are found to be better if operated upon than of those who were not operated upon.

Q. If a patient of angina is well controlled by medical therapy, should bypass surgery be considered for him?

A. No, the only exception is the demonstration of critical narrowing of the main trunk of the left coronary artery.

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Cardio & Blood