Kerala doctors perform rare bypass on post-kidney transplant patient, without opening the chest

In a remarkable feat, doctors from Kerala's KIMSHEALTH conducted a rare bypass procedure on a patient who had undergone a kidney transplant in the past. The 55-year-old patient, who had undergone a kidney transplant four years ago and was on lifelong immunosuppressive medication, was brought to the attention of the doctors after he complained of severe chest pain while undertaking mild physical activity. On interospection by way of an angiogram, doctors found multiple tight blockages in the coronary arteries of the patient. This called for an emergency bypass surgery, but it would turn out to be fatal for the patient, as conventional bypass surgery, which involves cutting through the sternum, poses a high risk, as Immunosuppressive medications can slow bone healing and increase infection risk. Experts decided to go for a Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MICS CABG) procedure, considering the risk involved. What is a MICS CABG procedure? According to NIH, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS)-CABG is a technique that, at its core, has patient comfort, early return to routine activities, meeting patient expectations for less invasive options, and maintaining the highest possible standards of care and outcomes. It involves making small incisions between the ribs, letting the surgeon reach the heart without cutting through the sternum, as is done in traditional open-heart surgery. 'These incisions measure about 2 to 3 inches, which is significantly smaller than the traditional open-heart surgery's 6 to 8-inch cuts,' said Dr Atul Abraham, who led the medical team for the surgery. What are the advantages of the procedure over conventional techniques? From faster recovery to shorter hospital stay, MICS CABG offers multiple advantages over conventional bypass surgery. Patients going through this surgery also have minimal blood loss, lower risk of wound infection and better cosmetic results. 'Performing a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft on a post-renal transplant patient is rare. However, given the complex medical profile of this patient, these advantages were more favourable for an MICS-Bypass,' Dr Abraham added. For more information, please consult a medical expert.