Collapsed arteries?

Question

My friends dad had an angiogram (not angiplasty -oops - from previous ques asked) and it indicated clogged arteries and he is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. What I don't understand is, my friend said that when her dad went to the doc he was told that two of his arteries collapsed? I've searched online and I haven't been able to find the connection between collapsed arteries and CABG, only clogged arteries - which have to be more than one and above 70% (otherwise an angioplasty). What I think is that the information may have been delivered wrong, because he was told that if he waited any longer for surgery his condition would worsen so they scheduled immediate surgery.My question is, does collapsed arteries and CABG make sense, and if so what are his chances of a successful surgery considering this information? I believe he is having triple bypass. Stats show that CABG is 95% successful. I am trying my best to support her through gaining more knowledge, any info is helpful.
Thanx!!

Answer 1

Your friend's Dad had a dye test done to the arteries to check out the blood flow.
Apparently his has lost the use of two arteries as blood is not able to get through those arteries. Blood is needed to keep the arteries open,when they are not able to stay open,they collapse.
CABG means Coronary Artery Bypass with Graphs which means that they are going to take out bad arteries and replace them with graphs,either artificial graphs (synthetic vein material)or graphs taken from the veins in his legs.
The more bypasses they do,the worse the conditon is so the fact that he only has to have 3 graphs done,this is in his favor.
Hopefully his other health is good which increases his changes of an uneventful surgery and recovery.
Hope I have been able to help you.

Answer 2

Hi micheypoo...

I'm not exactly sure what kind of answer you are looking for or if you are lookng for someone who has experience with what you are describing. I had the CABG procedure done. They performed 4 grafts and out of the 4, 2 of my grafts have "collapsed". It happened within 6 weeks of the surgery. What it meant (for me) was that two of the arteries they used for grafts were not strong enough to sustain the blood flow from point A to point B around my heart. I don't know of any other way to say it.

I'm not a Doctor so I can't begin to try and give you some kind of idea how successful your friends fathers surgery will be. Nobody here can. Chances are the Dr's he has can't even do this right now. Once they actually perform the surgery then yes, but not now. Alot will depend on his overall health. His age, lifestyle, frame of mind *and* his support system, meaning family.

You are a good friend to want to support your friend. I imagine the whole family is on edge over this. Let me say this.. anticipating the surgery is far worse than actually havng the surgery. I remember having a thousand questions and I was afraid to ask them. I had to "come to terms" with every aspect of my life because having "open heart surgery" is a big deal to a person who is about to face it. I don't care if the person is acting like it is no big deal, inside they are dealing with alot. Been there, done that. Like I said though, thinking about it was worse than actually going through it. It is actually easier on the person having the surgery than it is on the people who love them having to sit back and watch it all unfold.

If I could give you a piece of advice to pass on to your friends father. Tell the gentleman to do everything the Dr's and especially the nurses tell him to do. Especially following the surgery. The faster he gets up and tries to move around the better it will be for him. It will sound weird for me to say this but I was blessed that I had the opportunity to spend a few days in a room with a heart surgery patient for a few days prior to my surgery. This woman battled the nurses and Dr's every step of the way. She didnt want to sit up and they had a hard time getting her to try and get out of bed. You can't regain strength by laying around. So, I decided after watching what was happening with her that I was going to do the exact opposite when my time came. I initiated everything after the surgery. I told them before they told me that it was time for me to try to sit up. That I wanted to move to the chair and walk less than 24 hours after the surgery. I took more "hikes" around that hospital ward than I can count trying to how them I was well enough to go home. I was told I would probably be there around a week, I was home three days after the surgery. The woman I mentioned was still in the hospital a least 10 days after her surgery.

There are other things that her father is going to experience that no Doctor can warn him about. The only people that know are the people that have experienced it. I'd be happy to help you, your friend and her father if you feel it would be advantageous to them.

Most important for you to remember micheypoo... be her friend. She will more than likely be going through a very difficult time from now until after the surgery and for a little while longer.

Best of luck to all of you....

Answer 3

the arterie walls are week and she may possibly have atherosclerosis which causes lipid buildup around the arteries and can cause them to collapse in some cases

Answer 4

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