In order to determine the proper treatment, first the doctor must determine the extent of damage to the heart. There are a variety of tests that are available, but the most common procedure is a cardiac catheterization. A cardiac catheterization is performed in a special lab under local anesthetic and sterile condition

When the operation begins, two surgeons will be working on the patient. One surgeon opens the chest while the second surgeon retrieves the vein. In order to retrieve the vein, a long incision is made on the inner thigh above the desired vein. The surgeon removes the tube-like vein from the leg. The number of bypasses in the procedure determines the length of the vein that is to be removed. The vein is then placed in a plasma-like solution to preserve the inside layers of the vein and to keep it alive. Once the vein is removed, the leg incision is closed.

Once the extent of the damage to the heart is known, many patients have a coronary angioplasty. During an angioplasty, again the physician uses a catheter and inserts it into the groin or the arm. Instead of having an x-ray on the catheter, a small-deflated balloon is at its tip. Once the catheter reaches the area of blockage, the balloon is inflated and deflated several times, until the blockage is dense and the artery is widened. Angioplasties can be performed on many blocked arteries during the same procedure. Finally, if angioplasty fails to alleviate the artery blockage, surgery may be required.

The surgical procedure, which includes prepping time to when the surgery is over, ranges from 4-6 hours long. Once surgery is complete, the patient is placed in intensive care for at least one night, for close

Some topics in this essay:
, coronary artery, surgical procedure, coronary arteries, cardiac catheterization, heart attack, cardiopulmonary bypass, vein leg, bypass surgery triple, extent damage heart, extent damage, coronary arteries blocked, bypass surgery, surgery triple,