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BENEFITS OF OPEN-HEART SURGERY: Complete recovery from traditional open-heart surgery ranges from four to six weeks. In contrast, recovery time for patients with beating-heart surgery has been reported to be as short as three to four weeks. Beating-heart surgery patients often awake much earlier after surgery and experience quicker recoveries than patients who have been placed on a heart-lung machine. Hospitalization is generally shorter as well. Best of all, the risk of stroke and the need for blood transfusions is substantially reduced with beating-heart surgery better. Other benefits include preservation of heart function, better survival rate, less chance for heart rhythm, kidney, or liver complications and reduced risk for neurological injury, including stroke and memory complications. (SOURCE: http://indiahealthtour.com)

COMPLICATIONS: No surgery is completely free of risks. Many complications of beating heart surgery include nausea or minor bleeding. These particular side effects are temporary and can be treated easily. Major complications include wound infection, blood clots, and lung problems. Factors that could lead to major complications are severe heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease and diabetes. (SOURCE: http://heart-disease.emedtv.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Laurie Legere

Media Relations

Sunnybrook Regional Medical Centre

(416) 480 -6100