Cardiac surgery in Germany: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
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Heart diseases remain the most common cause of death in the world. Nonetheless, with the rapid development of cardiac surgery, the mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases has fallen significantly over recent years. It particularly applies to developed countries, such as Germany.
German clinics perform the most advanced surgical procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting.
Content
- Who needs coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)?
- The core of the surgery
- Benefits of CABG in Germany
- Which hospitals perform coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)?
- Arrangement of treatment in Germany
Who needs coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)?
Coronary artery bypass grafting is one of the two most commonly used surgeries for the coronary heart disease treatment.
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a condition that manifests itself in the oxygen starvation of the heart muscle. The most common cause of the disease is blockage of the coronary arteries feeding the heart with atherosclerotic plaques. The natural course of IHD leads to myocardial infarction and patient death.
However, heart attacks can be prevented. Most commonly, surgeons can perform one of the two surgical procedures:
- Stenting and balloon angioplasty (expansion of the coronary arteries).
- Coronary artery bypass grafting is aimed at the formation of additional sources of blood supply to the heart muscle.
The benefit of the first surgery is that it is less invasive and does not require open access to the thorax. Therefore, surgical intervention is tolerated better, and rehabilitation is faster.
Nevertheless, coronary artery bypass surgery is more effective. Doctors prefer this surgical procedure in the case of:
- Lesion of three or more coronary arteries
- The narrowed lumen of the trunk of the left coronary artery
- Concomitant cardiac pathology
- Diabetes mellitus
The core of the surgery
Coronary artery bypass grafting aims to create a bypass for the blood flow to the heart. To this end, surgeons use blood vessels taken from the patient’s body. Using these blood vessels, they form a cardiac shunt, which will connect the aorta and the coronary circulation system. As a result, blood will bypass the coronary arteries blocked with the plaques. The myocardium will receive a sufficient amount of oxygen.
The patient will no longer suffocate and experience chest pain while walking, and the risk of developing a myocardial infarction will be repeatedly reduced.
Here are some of the vessels one can use for the formation of the vascular prosthesis:
- Internal thoracic artery
- Great saphenous vein
- Radial artery
The blood vessel removal does not cause any circulation disorders in the corresponding areas.
Benefits of CABG in Germany
Cardiovascular surgery to restore blood supply to the myocardium can be performed in any country. Nevertheless, if you undergo surgery in the Best Heart Surgery Hospitals, you will get several undeniable advantages.
These include:
- The mortality rate of the patients during the surgical procedure is lower
- The patient has the lowest risk of complications
- Shorter rehabilitation period
- Better immediate and long-term results after surgery
All these benefits are realized through better quality surgical procedures, the use of smaller incisions, and high-quality rehabilitation. In addition, it is worth mentioning the equipment available in German medical clinics and the high qualifications of German doctors, who are considered to be among the best in the world.
Beat heart surgery. CABG can be performed either using a cardiopulmonary bypass or without it. If possible, in Germany doctors always prefer beating heart surgery. It is more difficult for the doctor to perform this type of cardiac surgery.
However, with this surgical procedure, one can get several benefits:
- Shortened rehabilitation period due to smaller incisions
- There is no damage to the blood cells, which is inevitable when using the heart-lung machine
- Less operational risks due to a shortened duration of the surgical procedure
The beating heart CABG surgery usually does not cause any complications that can develop due to the use of the heart-lung machine. Among them are pulmonary edema, embolism of either cerebral or renal vessels, and insufficient oxygen saturation of the internal organs.
Smaller incisions. In Germany, CABG is performed via smaller incisions. Thus, the patient can overcome an early postoperative period faster and easier. Patients can clear their throats, suffer less pain, and return to their normal lifestyle sooner. In addition, the patient will have a lower risk of bleeding or infection of the postoperative wound and a better aesthetic effect.
Endoscopic techniques. CABG cannot be performed with the use of endoscopic methods, but, in fact, the patient simultaneously undergoes two surgeries. The first one is the removal of blood vessels that will be used to form a vascular prosthesis. In Germany, this intervention is not open but endoscopic. As a result, the postoperative wound heals quickly and does not leave a large scar. The risk of complications in such operations is several times lower.
Quality rehabilitation. Germany attributes great importance to the postoperative rehabilitation of patients. It is very important since it can reduce the mortality of patients by 40-50% within 10 years after the surgery. When undergoing rehabilitation in Germany, the tolerance to physical activity improves by 30-50%, which significantly improves the patient's quality of life.
Which hospitals perform coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)?
Germany has many good clinics where one can undergo high-quality cardiac surgeries.
Coronary artery bypass grafting can be performed in large university hospitals, where a multidisciplinary team of medical specialists takes care of the patient. These are:
| Hospital | Cost of treatment |
|---|---|
| University Hospital Essen, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery | 31,387 EUR |
| University Hospital Oldenburg, Department of Cardiac Surgery | 27,536 EUR |
| University Hospital Ulm, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery | 34,139 EUR |
| University Hospital Frankfurt-am-Main, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery | 31,792 EUR |
| University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Adult and Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery | 33,690 EUR |
The average cost of a comprehensive medical program with coronary artery bypass grafting in specialized German hospitals is 38,043 EUR.
Arrangement of treatment in Germany
Most of patients who have not previously received treatment in Germany can find it difficult to arrange a medical tourism trip. In addition, it may be related to unnecessary and unjustified financial costs.
Therefore, if you need to arrange a trip to Germany to undergo treatment, please, contact the specialists of Booking Health.
We will help:
- Choose the best clinic and agree on the treatment program
- Negotiate with clinic administration and reduce the waiting time for surgery
- Provide you with the most comfortable living conditions in the clinic
- Obtain a visa, translate documents into German, book airline tickets
- Get to the clinic from the airport and back after the treatment
Thanks to our services, you will be able to focus on your health, avoiding unnecessary stress and worries. You will also save up to 70% of total treatment costs. You will receive Booking Health insurance, which will cover all unforeseen expenses if there are any. You will receive doctor follow-up consultations within 3 months after the end of treatment at no extra charge.
Choose treatment abroad, and you will get the best results for sure!
Authors:
The article was edited by a medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
ECR - European Cardiology Review
American College of Cardiology
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