How many times can you have bypass Grafts?

[Bluemoon2018]

Hi I'm new here. I have Congenital Heart Disease and I am a 50yr old male.

In 2009 I had a quintuple (5) bypass surgery. I had been experiencing Angina symptoms again and consequently have had an Angiogram. This highlighted that 2 of the grafts are blocked, 1 partially blocked and 2 clear. I have been told they are sending me for an MRI scan to determine what course of treatment they will choose (stents or medication).

So my question is can they do further bypass surgery as they didn't offer this as an option?

Thanks for any advice

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Sorry to hear you are experiencing problems. I have seen people here that have had two although more are possible. I suspect if possible they will opt for stents if possible. Multiple OHS is more difficult because of previous scar tissue and can become more complex. However, if stenting is not an option I would imagine they will look at a multiple bypass. Best of luck!

[Bluemoon2018 in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks for you're response. Do you know if they can bypass a bypass as all 5 of mine have ben bypassed?

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Bluemoon2018]

You can but it is technically more difficult as both harvesting alternative blood vessels and their attachment. But it is doable.

I think it would be worth your while giving the BHF nurses a ring as they will know more than me!

[Bluemoon2018 in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks again

[Prada47 in reply to Bluemoon2018]

I have stents ( 3 ) in a by passed LAD which was done in a couple of hours. I think the difficulty was getting through the Graft point into the artery, but hey it seems to have worked fine. Hope all goes well.

Frank W

[shopman]

I had a quad bypass and have since had 5 or 6 stents fitted but still have 1 graft that is blocked solid. I am supposed to be under consideration for Rotablation where they are proposing to drill & stent my original arteries. a good read can be had @ herzzentrum.immanuel.de/en/...

[Bluemoon2018 in reply to shopman]

Thanks I have never heard of that.

Are you having it done on the nhs or private?

[shopman in reply to Bluemoon2018]

NHS

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

By coincidence I met someone awaiting their second bypass this afternoon. I managed to walk to the shops today - the first time in 18 months as last time I ended up with an angina attack. I was looking at some lightbulbs when the person next to me said that he thought they would outlast him. We got talking as he looked like he could make the lifespan of 25 years (not continuous use). It turned out that he had a quadruple twenty years ago and they are now planning a triple. Although he had made lifestyle changes there is a hereditary cholesterol problem - without statins it would be 11/12. I wished him good luck with his forthcoming surgery. Anyway it definitely shows the NHS do "redos".

[Bluemoon2018 in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks again it just shows you they can do a redo.

[gal4God]

As many as needed

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to gal4God]

Sorry no! If you look at my previous post on the subject you will see I mention technical difficulties such as previous scar tissue, and connection and harvesting of suitable blood vessels. Doing a bypass of arteries not previously bypassed is not so bad but redos become much more technically challenging and ultimately the risk-benefit equation will go the wrong way. If anyone has had stents, minimally invasive surgery or OHS the best thing they can do is to try and prevent further deterioration by lifestyle changes and taking their medication as appropriate.

[Grayjay]

Yes they can but if they used the mammary artery for the first cabg , which is the best one to use, they will have to take the next one from your arm which isn't as good. My grafts failed in 2009 after a triple bypass in 2000 so I had 4 stents fitted. It's given me an extra 9 years up until now. Hoping for a few more.

Cheers.

[Bluemoon2018 in reply to Grayjay]

Thanks that sounds very encouraging!