Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) involves removing healthy arteries and/or veins from one part of the body and attaching or grafting them to the coronary artery to restore blood flow to the heart.

Following are some of the bypass surgery techniques for treating coronary artery disease.

Traditional CABG. Involves making a 6- to 8-inch incision down the center of the chest, cutting the breastbone (sternum) and opening the chest to reach the heart. One or more healthy arteries and/or veins are removed from another part of the body, often the leg. 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. During the procedure, the heart is stopped, and a heart-lung machine keeps blood moving throughout the body.

Off-pump (“beating heart”) CABG. Like traditional CABG, beating heart surgery involves cutting through the sternum. This procedure, however, is done without stopping the heart or using a heart-lung machine. Instead, surgeons steady the part of the heart where a bypass is needed with a special device. The heart continues to pump blood to the body during surgery.

Minimally invasive CABG. Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) may be done when only one or two artery bypasses are needed. A 2- to 3-inch incision is made in the chest without splitting the sternum. Through the incision, the surgeon connects a bypass vessel to a diseased coronary artery. This surgery is performed without using a heart-lung machine.

Redo CABG. Over time (10 or more years), 10 percent to 15 percent of people who had CABG surgery need to have another bypass procedure. This may be caused by narrowing of the grafted arteries or worsening of the person’s coronary artery disease.

Endovascular vein harvesting. Traditionally, surgeons harvest a vein from the patient’s leg to use as the bypass graft. This procedure usually requires an incision the length of the patient’s leg. Our physicians are skilled at minimally invasive endovascular (or endoscopic) vein harvesting, a procedure that leads to less pain, fewer wound complications and a better cosmetic outcome.

Our cardiovascular surgery program has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places our team among the elite for heart bypass surgery in the United States and Canada.

Learn More About STS
Appointments
414-777-7700
Request Appointment
Virtual Visits Available
View Specialists Treatment Locations Contact Us

Our Cardiovascular Program continues to receive recognition as one of the top programs nationally. We are honored to provide high-quality, effective care for even the most high-risk patients.

  • The Froedtert & MCW health network has built a reputation for clinical excellence and our research draws patients from around the world. Our Heart & Vascular program recognitions include:

    • Premier recognized Froedtert Hospital in 2025 as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals® according to its independent quality analysis based on a balanced scorecard. The hospitals recognized in the top 50 operated at lower cost and had better outcomes, recording significantly higher inpatient survival rates, fewer patients with complications, lower readmission rates and up to nearly $7,000 less in total costs per patient case. Froedtert Hospital was ranked in the category of top teaching hospitals with a cardiovascular residency program. No other hospital in Wisconsin was recognized with this national distinction.
    • The International Cardio-Oncology Society (ICOS) recognizes our Cardio-Oncology Program as a gold level Cardio-Oncology Center of Excellence in 2025. ICOS certification is awarded to institutions and practices that demonstrate superior expertise in the care of patients who have heart disease, are at high risk or experience heart complications with cancer treatment. The ICOS awards bronze, silver and gold certification. Of the two ICOS-certified programs in Wisconsin, we are the only one that meets the stringent requirements needed to be recognized as a gold level Cardio-Oncology Center of Excellence.
    • Healthgrades recognized Froedtert Hospital in its 2024 Specialty Excellence Awards, including one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery, one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care and one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention, as well as other specialty achievements in various areas.
    • Becker’s Hospital Review recognized Froedtert Hospital within its 2024 list of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs. Hospitals featured on this list are renowned for delivering superior heart and vascular care that results in high-quality outcomes. As part of a health network that includes eastern Wisconsin’s only academic medical center, our heart and vascular specialists treat a high volume of patients with a wide variety of heart diseases.
    • The Society for Vascular Surgery's Vascular Quality Initiative (SVS VQI) recognized Froedert Hospital as a Carotid Care Quality Champion by the SVS VQI‘s clinical registry recognition program in 2024. The VQI recognizes select centers across the country as Carotid Care Quality Champions for their dedication to improving the safety and effectiveness of vascular care through participation and engagement in VQI’s carotid artery stenting and/or carotid endarterectomy registries.
    • The American Heart Association recognized Froedtert Hospital with the following awards that show our commitment to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks.
      • Get With the Guidelines® Heart Failure Gold Plus Award
      • Get With the Guidelines® — Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes
      • Get With the Guidelines® — Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes
      • Get With the Guidelines® AFib Gold Award
      • Get With the Guidelines® — Resuscitation Target CPR; Resuscitation Gold — Audit; Resuscitation Target Survival
    • Froedtert Hospital earned the American Heart Association (AHA) Commitment to Quality award, a new AHA recognition, in 2025. The award recognizes adherence to the latest, research-based clinical guidelines to support better outcomes for patients.
    • In addition, the hospital was recognized on the American Heart Association’s Target: Heart Failure(SM) Honor Roll and received the AHA’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll™ award.

Blogs, Patient Stories, Videos and Classes