In: Nursing
A 50-year-old male patient arrives in the emergency department complaining of severe chest pain. He is taken to the cardiac cath lab for a coronary angiogram and left ventriculogram. The cardiologist discovers a lesion in the left main coronary artery branch and orders an immediate CABG.
1. What does the acronym CABG stand for?
2. Why does the location of this lesion make it more dangerous than lesions in other locations?
3. Could the cardiologist perform an angioplasty to repair the lesion?
4. Assuming that the CABG is successful, what is the patient’s postoperative prognosis?
5. What is the proximal saphenous vein sutured to during CABG?
(1) CABG stands for coronary artery bypass surgery. It diverts blood around narrowed or clogged parts of the major arteries to improve blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart.
(2)The left main coronary artery supplies blood to the left side of the heart muscle (the left ventricle and left atrium). The left main coronary divides into branches: The left anterior descending artery branches off the left coronary artery and supplies blood to the front of the left side of the heart therefore when plaque builds up, it narrows your coronary artery decreasing blood flow to your heart. Eventually, the decreased blood flow may cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or other coronary artery disease signs and symptoms. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack.
(3) angioplasty is not preferred because It reduce the symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD), it isn't a cure for CAD or the risk factors that led to it.
(4) Overall mortality related to CABG is 3-4%. During and shortly after CABG surgery, heart attacks occur in 5 to 10% of patients and are the main cause of death. About 5% of patients require exploration because of bleeding. This second surgery increases the risk of chest infection and lung complications.
(5) During CABG saphenous vein is sutured to proximal segment of aorta.