Habits of the Heart

coronary bypass \| heart replacement \| angiocardiography
Coronary Bypass Surgery Video Coronary bypass surgery involves replacing a diseased or constricted artery with a vein removed, most commonly, from the leg, where blood supply is plentiful. The surgeons dissect the saphenous vein from the right groin area to the knee. The chest cavity is opened and the heart is elevated. Once the catheders are in place, the doctors begin suturing the new vessel to the heart, effectively repairing the affected blood flow. When the suturing is complete, the heart is given a slight electrical shock and resumes normal activity.
	The doctors make an incision of the upper right thigh of the patient. The doctors are preparing to remove a vein from the leg to use later in the surgery.
	The doctors make an incision into the superficial layers of the chest to begin the operation.
	The doctors cut through the pericardium, the layer directly covering the heart.
	The heart is lifted from the chest cavity and sponges are placed underneath it. This elevates the heart during the procedure and gives the surgeons better access to the heart.
	Catheders are attached to the heart in order to re-direct blood flow during the surgery.
	A probe is inserted to dialate the blood vessel so that the opening doesn't collapse or constrict when suturing the new vessel into place.
	The vein that was taken from the patients leg is connected to the left anterior descending coronary artery. The surgeons use sutures to attach the vessel to the heart.
	An elliptical incision is made into the ascending aorta. This is where the other end of the new vessel will be sutured.
	The vein graft is being sutured into place.
	The heart is re-fibrulated by means of a small electrical shock so it may resume its pumping action.
	Finally, a probe is used to measure the blood flow through the heart.
Heart Replacement Surgery Video In this procedure the patient's heart is replaced with an artificial heart temporarily until a donor heart can be found. The doctors remove the heart and connect the patient to a heart-lung machine that artificially sustains blood flow and oxygenation. The artificial heart is surgically implanted into the chest cavity. When the patient is ready for transplantation of the donor heart, the artificial heart is removed and replaced with the human heart.
	The doctors make an initial incision in order to open up the chest cavity
	The chest cavity is held open with clamps and the heart is exposed.
	Catheders are attached to the heart in order to facilitate blood flow during the surgery.
	The patient's heart is removed from the chest cavity.
	The doctors connect the artificial heart to the blood vessels in the body.
	The artificial heart is removed from the chest cavity and the patient is prepared for transplant surgery.
Angiocardiography Video Angiocardiography is a diagnostic test which uses x-rays and contrast dyes to produce images of the chambers and blood vessels of the heart. Dye is injected through a catheder into selected portions of the heart making them opaque for x-rays. On a flouroscope for x-ray film, the dye injected sections appear white against a black background. Angiocardiography is especially suited for determining the extent and location of coronary artery disease. Diseased sections are seen as a dark area, or narrowing, of the artery. Arrows have been added to indicate these locations.
	The left coronary artery in a healthy heart.
	The right coronary artery in a healthy heart.
	The left ventricle in a healthy heart.
	The left ventricle in a diseased heart.
	Several areas of disease within a heart.
	Two hearts with areas of diseased vessels.