Let’s discuss open-heart surgery, shall we? So, what is it exactly? Well, if we had to explain it in the simplest words possible, it would be like this: When doctors cut open your chest to fix serious heart issues. Though, doctors may call for a heart transplant for clogged arteries, defective valves and a weak heart, only if the heart is not doing what it is supposed to do, properly. Sure enough, this surgery is a life-saving medical service but a costly financial decision too. To break it all down for you, let’s go through all you need to know about Open Heart Surgery Cost In India among other things. So, here we go now.

The Cost of Open Heart Surgery in India

In India, the cost of open heart surgery typically ranges from ₹1.5 lakhs to ₹5 lakhs, just to be clear from the get-go. That may be considerably less money than someone in the U.S. would have to pay. But it is still a lot of money. Especially for families in India.

Depending on the surgery type and hospital chosen, the cost can vary for these open-heart surgeries. For example:

• CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting): Don’t know about this one? Well, it is when doctors create a new route for blood to flow that bypasses the blockage. The price is around ₹2.75 lakhs.
• Pacemaker Implantation: Here, doctors will implant a pacemaker if your heart requires help maintaining a steady beat. This one is about ₹3 lakh.

But hold on for a sec, you see, there are other costs too! Before surgery, tests are required for X-rays, ECG and more. You’ll spend on medicines, during and after the surgery. And after the surgery is done, there are follow-ups and post-surgery care to consider too, just so you know.

Types of Open Heart Surgery

Depending on what is wrong with a person’s heart, there are various options one has concerning open-heart surgery. Let’s simplify things a little further, shall we? So, here are the main open-heart surgery types you should look into:

• CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting): This surgery makes more like a “detour” in the blood flow by joining a healthy artery to an artery beyond the blockage, you know? But how? Well, a doctor uses a healthy blood vessel from somewhere else in your body to bypass the blocked artery.
• Heart Valve Repair or Replacement: If one of the heart’s valves isn’t working, it might be fixed or replaced with an artificial valve.
• Heart Transplant: You see when a heart is beyond repair, it is replaced with a donor’s heart by the doctors which we also call a heart transplant. Well, this surgery is not that easy, just so you know.
• Pericardiectomy: Well, for those who don’t know, there is kinda a sack around your heart, but sometimes this sack actually becomes a bit stiff and creates a problem for the heart to pump properly. And in this particular procedure, the doctors just remove this stiffened sack to make more room for your heart to function.
• Pacemakers or ICDs: Sure, these are small devices that are placed in the chest to control irregular heartbeats are pacemakers or ICDs.
• Septal Myectomy: Septal Myectomy is a surgery done to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which part of the heart muscle is abnormally thickened. The doctor removes some of these to improve the blood flow.

Keep in mind though that some surgeries are simple and require only a few hours like a bypass. Some surgical procedures, such as a heart transplant, take a lot longer and are more complicated.

Why Does the Cost Vary?

The price of open heart surgery can vary according to a number of things.

• Type of Surgery: The type of surgery affects the overall cost. Like, bypass surgery usually costs less than a heart transplant.
• The Hospital You Choose: The hospital you choose makes a difference, like, fancy private hospitals in big cities with all the latest technology charge way more than small hospitals or government hospitals.
• The Patient’s Health: You see if a patient is suffering from any other ailment apart from the original one, such as diabetes or kidney failure, it can complicate the situation and require extra care. So yes, this might make the cost more.
• Insurance Coverage: If you have health insurance, it might pay for most or all of the expenses. Some insurance covers heart surgeries too which can be of great help.