New Study Finds Ways to Reduce Complications After Bypass Surgery
A recent study published in the American Heart Association’s Journal: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology suggests that this injectable filler could one day become an integral part of bypass procedures.
According to a Time magazine report, the new study found that injecting the heart with Botox could reduce complications arising out of the abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia) that 10 to 50% of patients experience after their bypass surgery. While previous studies showed that Botox regulated the heartbeat in animals, the injection had never been tested on humans.
Dr. Jonathan Steinberg (Director of the Arrhythmia Institute at Valley Health System and adjunct professor at the University of Rochester) and his team collaborated with doctors in Russia to test the effects of Botox injections in patients with irregular heart rhythms who were scheduled to have heart bypass operations.
They found that:
- Only 7% of the patients who received Botox developed arrhythmia in the 30 days following their surgery when compared to 30% of the placebo group.
- Also, none of the patients in the Botox group exhibited abnormal heart rhythms a year after their surgery, while 27% who got saline did.
The Steinberg study is encouraging, especially since current treatments for arrhythmia are not very effective.
Can Botox® Help with Bypass Complications?
According to Dr. Steinberg, Botox may work on the heart in a similar way that it does on your wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing muscle activity. Stopping some of the excitatory signals sent to the heart following the trauma of surgery could help with recovery as well as reduce the risk of associated complications.
What does this mean for bypass patients?
- Using Botox to suppress some of the activity may give the heart rhythm a chance to stabilize quicker.
- Lower the time spent in the intensive care unit and on the breathing machine, reduce infections*, improve recovery time and the 5-year survival rate after the procedure.
- Keeping the heartbeat more regular can also reduce the risk of serious post-surgery complications, such as stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.
While this is definitely good news, more research needs to be done before Botox can become the standard treatment for bypass patients.
If you have any questions about Botox or would like to learn more about its cosmetic and health benefits, get in touch with Dr. Charles M. Solnik, M.D. in Mississauga.
As an experienced practitioner for over 20 years who specializes in Botox® cosmetic care, Dr. Solnik will be happy to advise you on future treatments. His fixed-priced Juvéderm treatments have helped men and women across the GTA transform their appearance and their lives.
See our gallery of before-and-after pictures.
Call 905-273-3176 Ext.3 or fill out our online contact form to set up a free consultation with Dr. Solnik about Botox® treatments in Mississauga.
