When a coronary artery is completely or partially blocked, there are many treatment options available to the patient. Among these, off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), also known as off-pump CABG, is one of the most effective procedures. This procedure involves harvesting a healthy blood vessel from the chest or leg to bypass the blocked artery. The result: improved blood flow to the heart muscle!
Although it is a common and well-established method, off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery is generally recommended when other treatments prove ineffective. For example, angioplasty (with or without a stent)—one of the standard treatments—may sometimes fail to produce the desired results. “A bypass may also be performed if there is a blockage in the left main coronary artery—which supplies a large amount of blood to the heart—or a severe narrowing of this artery,” explains Dr. Sohawon, a cardiac surgeon at C-Care Wellkin. Added to this are severe chest pains caused by the narrowing of multiple coronary arteries or multi-vessel disease associated with dysfunction of the left lower heart chamber.
This technique differs from off-pump bypass surgery; the traditional method requires a heart-lung machine to maintain blood circulation and oxygenation while the heart is temporarily stopped using medication. The beating-heart bypass technique, introduced when Dr. Sohawon joined C-Care, does not require extracorporeal circulation. “No heart-lung machine is used: specialized stabilization devices hold small areas of the heart still while the grafts are being placed,” he explains.
This technique offers numerous benefits: a reduced inflammatory response, less bleeding and a lower need for blood transfusions, a potential reduction in the length of hospital stay, and fewer complications in high-risk patients (elderly patients, those with kidney failure, severe aortic calcification, etc.)… For Dr. Sohawon, this cutting-edge technique—among many others offered at C-Care—underscores the group’s commitment to medical excellence. “At C-Care, we maintain high standards, particularly in cardiac care. This field has evolved significantly, and the standard of care in Mauritius is comparable to that of many developed countries,” he concludes.