“Fraction of the heart?”
Is it safe to have open heart surgery if your heart is between 5-15% of a fraction?
2 Answers
CardiologistCardiologist
Risk of open heart surgery ranges between 1%-5% depending on the surgeon and institution. Certainly having such a low ejection fraction can be a risk, but if the surgery is a must because of a severe valve that needs to be replaced or coronary artery bypass, then the benefit outweighs the risk.
Yes, it is safe to perform open heart surgery even if the ejection fraction is 5%-15%. It requires selecting the correct patient, a skilled surgeon, skilled team (anesthesia, first assistant, etc.), equipment and plan for post-operative care.
