how long is a quad bypasss good for

[wandawolferd]

how many years does a quad bypass get you

[I_Do_Ob]

Well, I can only comment on what my father and brother-in-law doctors have told them, which has been true for them, is about 10 years and that is with following a low fat diet.
Both of them had to have another bypass 10 years later.  My father at age 84 had his second bypass (quad) and then had some stents put in 7 years later.

[Encephalomalcia]

Bypass should be a fix whereas the stents are like a band-aids in which people tend to have problems again with them as the years pass.  If the arteries are plugged because they are crooked and the blood going through has caused it to be sticky cholesterol will stick and therefore cause blockage.  If the liver is overactive and the cholesterol is high, the arteries can become plugged again.  Depending on the person, what medications they are taking, their diet, and family history will predict the future. The main thing is that the heart muscle stays healthy and healthy eating habits can help.  

[erijon]

A very small percentage of vein grafts may become blocked within the first two weeks after CABG surgery due to blood clotting. Blood clots form in the grafts usually because of small arteries beyond the insertion site of the graft causing sluggish blood run off. Another 10% of vein grafts close off between two weeks and one year after CABG surgery. Use of aspirin to thin the blood has been shown to reduce these later closings by 50%. Grafts become narrowed after the first five years as cells stick to the inner lining and multiply, causing formation of scar tissue (intimal fibrosis) and actual atherosclerosis. After 10 years, only 2/3 of vein grafts are open and 1/2 of these have at least moderate narrowings. Internal mammary grafts have a much higher (90%) 10 year rate of remaining open. This difference in longevity has caused a shift in surgical practices toward greater use of internal mammary and other arteries as opposed to veins for bypasses.

Recent data has shown that in CABG patients with elevated LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels, use of cholesterol-lowering medications (particularly the statin family of drugs) to lower LDL levels to below 80 will significantly improve long-term graft patency as well as improve survival benefit and heart attack risk. Patients are also advised about the importance of lifestyle changes to lower their chance of developing further atherosclerosis in their coronary arteries. These include stopping smoking, exercise, reducing weight and dietary fat, as well as controlling blood pressure and diabetes. Frequent monitoring of CABG patients with physiologic testing can identify early problems in grafts. PTCA (angioplasty) with stenting, in addition to aggressive risk factor modification, may significantly limit the need for repeat CABG years later. Repeat CABG surgery is occasionally necessary, but may have a higher risk of complication.

I hope this helps,

Jon