What is CABG Surgery?

CABG stands for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and is also known as coronary artery bypass surgery. Colloquially, it is also known as heart bypass surgery or simply bypass surgery. It is a surgical procedure performed for the purpose of restoring normal blood flow to a coronary artery that has been obstructed. That is, it is a surgery for improving blood flow to the heart.

When is CABG Surgery needed?

CABG is usually recommended for patients with coronary disease or significant blockages in the arteries surrounding the heart. It will create new routes around arteries that are blocked or narrowed, thus restoring blood flow to the heart. This build-up of blockages can be caused by numerous factors:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Elevated cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Increased age
• Family risk of cardiovascular disease

How is CABG Surgery Performed?

The steps involved in performing this procedure are as follows:

• An incision is made down the middle of the chest.
• Using a saw, the sternum or breastbone is cut through.
• The cutting of the sternum is called a median sternotomy.
• Iced salt water is used to cool the heart.
• A preservative solution is injected into the arteries.
• This process is known as cardioplegia, and it minimises the risk of damage that can occur to the heart and arteries during the surgery.
• A cardiopulmonary bypass must be established for the surgery to take place. This is done by placing a plastic tube into the right atrium, so that venous blood is pumped out of the heart to the heart-lung machine through a screen that oxygenates it.
• This oxygenated blood is then returned to the body. Therefore the functioning of the heart is taken over by the heart-lung machine.
• The main aorta is clamped to create a bloodless field for the procedure to be done.

Risks Associated with CABG Surgery

The following are some of the risks associated with CABG surgery:

• Breathing problems
• Pancreatitis
• Kidney failure
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Heart Attack
• Stroke
• Memory loss
• Allergic reaction to anaesthesia
• Bleeding during or after the surgery
• Lung Problems
• Infection at the incision site
• Pneumonia
• Failure of the graft
• Fever
• Kidney problems
• Blood clots

Health Insurance Plans for CABG Surgery

Health insurance is a recognisably important coverage for all individuals to have. Most health insurance companies will be offering some sort of health insurance coverage which will cover most of the common health problems. However, many insurance companies have now introduced critical illness insurance as a specialised healthcare policy to attract more customers and offer them additional coverage which will put them at ease. These policies provide an extra cushion for an individual’s healthcare costs which have been rising steadily over the years. Some of the popular companies which offer health insurance for critical illness are Bharti Axa General Insurance, ICICI Lombard, or Reliance Insurance.

Why Buy Critical Health Insurance Online for CABG Surgery at InsuranceDekho?

When it comes to buying health insurance policies that offer coverage for CABG surgery, InsuranceDekho offers a process that is seamless. The procedure of purchasing critical health insurance policies with InsuranceDekho is paperless and quick, saving you valuable time and effort. Thus it is extremely convenient for customers. The following benefits are available to you on purchasing a critical illness policy from InsuranceDekho:

• Multiple health insurance quotes from popular insurers for open heart replacement or repair of heart valves
• Quick policy issuance
• Post policy purchase assistance
• Help from experts at the time of purchasing a policy
• Flexible modes of payment offered
• Assistance during filing a claim settlement
• Online premium calculator available to get an estimate of health insurance premium even before buying a policy