Heart and Vascular Center
Coronary Artery DiseaseIn coronary artery disease (CAD), the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart become hardened and narrowed due to the buildup of plaque. Severe CAD can lead to a heart attack.
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is performed to improve blood flow to the heart in people with severe CAD. Coronary artery disease may also be treated by endovascular therapy in some patients.
During the CABG surgery, one or more healthy arteries and/or veins are removed from another part of the body. The surgeon attaches the blood vessel(s) to the coronary artery above and below the narrowed or blocked area. The grafted vessel bypasses the blocked portion of the coronary artery, allowing oxygen-rich blood to reach the heart.
TreatmentsCardiac surgeons in the Heart and Vascular Center perform all forms of coronary bypass surgery. The type of bypasses a patient needs and the patient’s anatomy determine which type of bypass surgery to perform.
Traditional Bypass SurgeryTraditional bypass surgery involves making a 6- to 8-inch incision down the center of the chest, cutting the breast bone (sternum) and opening the chest to reach the heart. During the procedure, the heart is stopped and a heart-lung machine keeps blood moving throughout the body. After the bypass vessels are connected, the heart is restarted using mild electric shocks, and the heart-lung machine is disconnected.
Off-Pump (“Beating Heart”) Coronary Artery Bypass SurgeryOff-pump (“beating heart”) bypass surgery is done without stopping the heart and without a heart-lung machine. Instead, the part of the heart where a bypass is needed is steadied with a special device. During the surgery, the heart continues to pump blood to the body.
Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass SurgeryMinimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) may be used when only one or two artery bypasses is needed. The procedure uses a 2- to 3-inch incision in the chest (without splitting the sternum). Through the small incision, the surgeon connects a bypass vessel to a diseased coronary artery. This surgery is also performed “off-pump,” without the use of a heart-lung machine.
Last Review Date: June 18, 2008 Online Editor(s): Richard Petre |