Can a re-blocked blood vessel from a heart bypass be cured?

Re-blockage of a heart bypass graft can be treated with bypass surgery or interventional therapy. Coronary artery bypass surgery is a procedure that connects a blood vessel from another part of the body to the blockage so that the arterial blood can bypass the blockage and reach the distal end of the blood vessel, thus relieving angina pectoris. Some elderly patients may experience a recurrence of the blockage some time after the surgery, and the treatment plan will depend on the extent of the blockage and the patient’s physical condition. Patients with re-occlusion need to have their blood flow restored again. Surgical procedures include re-coronary artery bypass grafting and interventional procedures. However, bypass surgery is generally not recommended for patients with re-occlusion, because the chest cavity of the original bypass graft may be thickened by adhesions, and the anatomical structure becomes complicated, which makes it more difficult and risky to carry out the related surgery. Therefore, interventional therapy is recommended, i.e., radial or femoral artery catheterization, followed by balloon dilatation and implantation of a stent. Each patient’s case is different and should be treated according to the advice of a specialist.