Doctors are in Favor of Traditional Cardiac Surgery Despite Better Alternative

A new study has shown that cardiothoracic surgeons in India are still continuing with traditional methods despite a new technology being more effective in the longer run. Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in surgical treatment of conditions affecting organs inside the chest (generally heart and lungs).

The standard coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery involves using an artery of the chest wall and an artery from the leg for grafts. If a surgeon performs the CABG, there is a possibility of a need for re-surgery in 10 to 20 years.

On the other hand, the chances of a re-surgery significantly comes down to less than 3% cases and less than 5% cases in 10 and 20 years time respectively if the surgeon opts for Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery (BIMA) grafting. The BIMA involves using an artery each from the left and right chest walls. The study surveyed 92 cardiothoracic surgeons from 75 medical institutions across India in the March-June 2015 period.

"What's most shocking is that despite its advantages, the study finds that only 5-10% Indian cardiac surgeons are performing BIMA while the majority 90% still prefer the traditional CABG," said Dr Lokeswara Rao Sajja, while releasing the results of the survey.



Source-Medindia