What exactly is right bundle branch blockage? and is it dangerous?!
Question: My husband was told he had RBBB after an EKG. He's supposed to have prostate surgery, and they won't do it until the Cardiologist clears him. The Cardiologist is having him do a stress test. My husband also has sleep apnea. The doctor mentioned that he has seen RBBB in many sleep apnea patients. Will this eventually need surgery? or will he be able to live with it, without it causing any problems?
Answers:
The heart is a muscle that contracts and pumps blood. Electrical impulses start in the top of the heart (atria) and stimulate the muscle to contract. These impulses start at the top and travel to the thicker larger chambers (ventricles). In the ventricles this impulse branches into 2 separate "bundles" one going to the right side and one going left. If there is a delay in the electrical impulse it can show up on the EKG and is called a Bundle Branch Block. A left bundle branch block is usually more problematic. No surgery needed. Ususally just monitored to look for future changes, but initial evaluation by a cardiologist to be sure that there is no evidence of a coronary artery blockage that caused this is prudent.
Other Answers:
Been a while since I've had to call on my EKG training so I don't want to give misinformation. Check out the American Heart Association webpage. They have some good info.
A bundle branch blockage it just a fairly common condition of the electrical impulses of the heart, which most times requires no treatment, and never requires surgery.
Source(s):
I'm an RN
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