Heart Bypass Operation - Risks

Bypass operations are among the most commonly performed operations worldwide. In Germany alone, the procedure is undertaken 60,000 times every year.²

Nonetheless, it is a serious procedure for the human body whose risks and possible complications are not to be underestimated.
There is the risk of a myocardial infarction whose lethality rate in Germany is currently at about 2.8%.⁶
Further possible complications are infections, strokes, renal failure, as well as heart attacks during or after the operation. The risk of complication is very dependent on age, general health condition, and the smoking habits of the patient.¹⁰
During the removal of the vessel there may be wound healing problems, especially when removing leg veins.²

Connection to a heart-lung machine is nowadays a routine method with a high degree of safety for the patient which has low complication rates. However, this measure places a heavy burden on the body and can lead to an inflammatory reaction in the body, blood coagulation irregularities or neurological disturbances up to and including stroke.⁷

The doctor who is treating you will clarify these and other possible risks in greater detail.

Quellen:
^1,5,7,8 Clinical Centre at the University of Cologne
² University of Freiburg Clinic
^3,13 University of Regensburg Clinical Centre
⁴ University of Ulm Clinic
⁶ Clinic and Polyclinic for Thoracic, Heart, and Vascular Surgery, University of Munster Clinic
⁹ University of Erlangen Clinic
¹⁰ The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
¹¹ Bavarian University of Julius Maximilian, Wurzburg
¹² German Doctors' Journal, 30 September 2008