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Informed patients make better patients.
Question:
Is my father at risk for fatality from bypass surgery?
My father is 54, has emphysema, asthma, diabetes and has to have a triple bypass. Does that put him at risk for fatality from the surgery?
submitted by Charlotte from Mississippi on 1/20/2013
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiovascular surgeon, J. Michael Duncan, MD
Charlotte, the doctors who are caring for your father are in best position to advise you and him regarding the risks (vs benefits) of triple bypass surgery. Comorbidities such as the ones you have listed – emphysema, asthma and diabetes – can all influence the procedure, recovery and long-term outlook for a patient having bypass surgery. Many patients undergo the procedure with these and/or other conditions, and enjoy healthy recoveries. Please encourage your father to speak with his cardiologist and cardiovascular surgeon.
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Updated February 2013
