Surgeries for CHF

While medications and lifestyle changes can help control and treat CHF, there are cases in which surgery is nesscary to control CHF. These surgeries include Heart Valve Replacement, Coronary Artery Bypass, and Heart Transplants.

When a pateint has a defective heart valve, s/he may need a heart valve replacement. During this surgery, the surgeon attatches the patient to a heart-lung machine. The doctor stops the heart and makes an incision. The old valve is removed and new one replaces it. It takes four to six weeks to recover from this surgery.

For patients with clogged arteries, a coronary artery bypass causes the blood flow to avoid the clogges section of the artery. The patient is attatched to a heart-lung machine. The surgeon cuts open the chest. Arteries from the chest and veins from the legs are connected to the clogged arteries. It takes approximately 4 to six weeks to recover from a coronary artery bypass.

In severe cases of CHF, a patient may need a heart transplant. This is only usually attempted when the patient has a high risk of dying. The surgeon opens the chest and attatches a heart-ling machine. The old heart is removed and replaces with a new one. It takes four to six weeks to recover from a heart transplant.

For more information about these surgeries, click here.