can heart function be regained with bypass

[jewelfysh]

My mother just went though bypass that was supposed to be 3 but they only ended up doing two on the left side and they didn't do the right side.
Her heart fuction was at 20%.  She was high risk and they had problems keeping her blood pressure stable during surgery.  All her other organs were fine but her heart they were concerned with after the surgery.  She's recovering but it's been sketchy, they choose to keep her sleeping rest of the day of surgery and that night then wake her up the next morning and recovery to me is really slow, she's still really really week and after 5 days barely able to stand and walk a few feet.
I'm curious why they wouldn't have done the right side and what implications that will have for her future?  Will this bypass allow her to regain any of that missing heart function?


This discussion is related to Reduced heart function.

[kenkeith]

It is difficult without knowing the specifics why the right side wasn't bypassed.  It may be the blockage is not considered significant.  Also, the prognosis of the right side depends on many variables.

Your mother's heart had an EF 20% meaning the heart (left side) was only pumping 20% of the blood into circulation with each stroke.  If the low EF is/was due to ischemia (lack of blood flow) to an area of the left ventricle, that will/could cause an impairment to heart wall movement.  Impaired wall movement decreases EF, and a bypass can/will provide blood to the deficit area and increase contractual strength.

Also, it is possible the heart was enlarged (leftside) due to the stress and strain of an increased workload and that will decrease EF as well.  With rest, medication and time, the heart can/will return to normal size (if ischemia related) and that should also help raise the EF.