CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Private heart bypass surgery (CABG)
- No.1 in the UK for private cardiac care
- Appointments in as little as 24 hours
- 99% of our cardiac patients would recommend us to friends and family
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PRIVATE HEART BYPASS SURGERY AT HCA UK
Why choose us?
As the UK’s No.1 for private cardiac care, we look after more patients than any other UK private healthcare provider. That also means we carry out more private heart bypass procedures than any other provider, including pioneering minimally invasive techniques that result in less pain and a quicker recovery.
Alongside our 99% success rate for heart bypass surgery, you can be confident you'll be in the safest of hands. It’s why, out of the 26,000 people we help every year, 99% say they’d recommend us to family and friends.
Heart bypass surgery, or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), is a treatment for coronary artery disease. The procedure helps to restore blood flow to the heart where arteries have become blocked by fatty deposits. This condition is called atherosclerosis.
During heart bypass surgery, healthy blood vessels are taken from elsewhere in your body – usually your arm, leg or chest wall – and grafted to your heart. This allows blood to be diverted around blocked or narrowed arteries to improve the flow of oxygen-rich blood into your heart. The operation can relieve symptoms such as chest pain (angina), improve your quality of life, and help reduce the risk of more serious heart conditions.
If you’ve been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, you may need bypass surgery to treat a narrowing or blockage of one or more of your coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart.
Sometimes, people may have early coronary artery disease without showing any symptoms. If left untreated, the disease will continue to progress and could cause serious complications and increase the risk of permanent damage to the heart.
Heart bypass surgery may be recommended if you have the following symptoms:
- Chest pain (angina)
- Shortness of breath
- Abnormal heart rhythms (cardiac arrhythmia)
- Palpitations
- Fatigue
A heart bypass operation may also be carried out as an emergency treatment if you’ve had a heart attack and other treatments haven’t proved effective.
Yes, there are alternative treatments to heart bypass surgery. We offer a wide range of procedures, including:
Coronary angioplasty and stenting
If the arteries around your heart are too narrow, heart bypass surgery may not be the best option for you. Instead, your consultant may recommend a procedure known as a coronary angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Medication
In some instances, it's possible to treat and control symptoms of coronary heart disease with medications. Your consultant will discuss the options with you.
26,000+
Cardiac patients treated every year
99%
Success rate for heart bypass surgery
200+
Cardiology consultants to choose from
Next-day appointments
See a specialist and get on the path to an expert diagnosis within 24 hours
State-of-the-art diagnostics
With results in as little as 48 hours
Wide-reaching expertise across the UK
Visit any one of 15 dedicated diagnostic centres in London, Manchester and Birmingham
what to expect
The Heart Bypass Surgery process
From the moment you step through the door, until you’re ready to leave, we want you to feel as comfortable and reassured as possible.
One of the ways we can put you at ease is to let you know what to expect at each stage.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, or in the FAQ section below, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team will be happy to help in any way they can.
One of the ways we can put you at ease is to let you know what to expect at each stage.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, or in the FAQ section below, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team will be happy to help in any way they can.
01
Initial consultation
Whether you’ve self-referred or have a referral from a GP, the first step will be an initial consultation with one of our specialists.
You’ll be seen by a specialist consultant and a cardiac surgery clinical nurse specialist. They’ll ask you about your symptoms and medical history and may carry out a physical examination.
You’ll be seen by a specialist consultant and a cardiac surgery clinical nurse specialist. They’ll ask you about your symptoms and medical history and may carry out a physical examination.
02
Investigations and diagnosis
You may be referred for tests in order to determine the best treatment for you. These tests may include: Blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, cardiac CT scan with calcium score, X-ray, exercise stress test or cardiac stress test.
We’ll then provide you with a detailed plan of what you need to do ahead of your admission into one of our hospitals for your heart bypass procedure, as well as advice for preparations for your eventual discharge which you can make ahead of time.
We’ll then provide you with a detailed plan of what you need to do ahead of your admission into one of our hospitals for your heart bypass procedure, as well as advice for preparations for your eventual discharge which you can make ahead of time.
03
Treatment
A conventional heart bypass operation usually takes three to four hours. You’ll be under general anaesthetic for this procedure.
The surgeon will take blood vessels from your arm, leg or chest wall. They’ll then graft the blood vessels around the blocked artery, creating a new pathway for your blood supply around the blockage.
During the operation, your heart will be stopped temporarily, and you’ll be placed on a heart-lung machine that will keep blood and oxygen pumping around your body. Once the grafts have been attached, your heart will be restarted.
The surgeon will take blood vessels from your arm, leg or chest wall. They’ll then graft the blood vessels around the blocked artery, creating a new pathway for your blood supply around the blockage.
During the operation, your heart will be stopped temporarily, and you’ll be placed on a heart-lung machine that will keep blood and oxygen pumping around your body. Once the grafts have been attached, your heart will be restarted.
04
Aftercare
Immediately after surgery, you'll be transferred to a cardiac intensive care unit, where you’ll be closely monitored by our dedicated team before moving to a high-dependency unit or a cardiac ward. You should be out of bed the next day, but you'll need to stay in hospital for around a week.
After you’ve been discharged, you should be able to do gentle activities, such as walking short distances or lifting light objects, within the first few days of being home. You’ll then be able to gradually build up to more strenuous activities in the following weeks.
Most patients make a full recovery after about three months. Your consultant will follow up with you about six weeks after the operation and be on hand to offer support throughout your recovery.
After you’ve been discharged, you should be able to do gentle activities, such as walking short distances or lifting light objects, within the first few days of being home. You’ll then be able to gradually build up to more strenuous activities in the following weeks.
Most patients make a full recovery after about three months. Your consultant will follow up with you about six weeks after the operation and be on hand to offer support throughout your recovery.
Where can I have my heart bypass surgery?
Across our extensive network of hospitals and treatment centres, we have more than 200 expert cardiovascular consultants who can help you, from initial consultation through to surgery and recovery.
You’ll be able to have your procedure at the following locations:
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Wellington Hospital
Wellington Place St John's Wood NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
Heart bypass surgery FAQs
If you have coronary heart disease, having heart bypass surgery can help improve your quality of life. You may be experiencing shortness of breath, fatigue and palpitations as a result of coronary heart disease, symptoms that a heart bypass operation can help to alleviate.
In more serious cases, it can help reduce your risk of major heart conditions such as Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), angina, stroke and heart attack.
Heart bypass surgery is a major operation and, as with any surgery, it comes with potential risks and complications. Our expert consultants and cardiologists will be there to offer you guidance and discuss the potential risks with you ahead of your procedure.
There may be contributing factors that mean you’re more likely to be at risk of complications following your heart bypass procedure. These can include your age and whether you have any other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or kidney disease. Your consultant and cardiologist will explain these risks to you. At HCA UK, the success rate of heart bypass operations is 99%.
There may be contributing factors that mean you’re more likely to be at risk of complications following your heart bypass procedure. These can include your age and whether you have any other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or kidney disease. Your consultant and cardiologist will explain these risks to you. At HCA UK, the success rate of heart bypass operations is 99%.
As you'll be having a general anaesthetic, you'll be asked to stop eating and drinking for six hours beforehand.
Once you've been discharged, you'll need help at home, so you should arrange for someone to stay with you for a couple of weeks following the procedure. You'll also need to arrange for someone to help you get home from the hospital, as you won’t be able to drive for a month.
Once you've been discharged, you'll need help at home, so you should arrange for someone to stay with you for a couple of weeks following the procedure. You'll also need to arrange for someone to help you get home from the hospital, as you won’t be able to drive for a month.
Our patients' stories
Kirti's heart rhythm story
How a life-changing cardiac procedure stopped Kirti worrying about her heart health. Kirti first felt a heart palpitation back in 2016 whilst out shopping. After delaying seeking specialist advice, she sought the expertise of Dr Mike Koa-Wing, Consultant Cardiologist at The Wellington Hospital, in 2020 after the palpations got worse. Here Kirti shares her story.
Treating Helaina's heart rhythm disorder
Helaina from Northamptonshire was just 16 when she began experiencing unusual symptoms, including shortness of breath and heart palpitations, which rapidly worsened. She was otherwise fit, healthy and a huge lover of the great outdoors, leading to her family to grow concerned.
How a valve replacement helped Steve breathe easy again
When Steve found out his breathlessness was caused by a narrowed aortic valve, he was terrified of the thought of the open-heart surgery that might be needed to treat it. But with the expertise of Professor Sagar Doshi at The Harborne Hospital, he learned he could have a ‘keyhole’ alternative called TAVI.
“The staff were amazing. They exceeded my expectations.”
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This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.