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Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is more commonly known as bypass surgery. When arteries become built up with plaque, restricted blood flow, chest pain and heart attack could follow. This procedure uses blood vessels from other parts of the body to create a path around blocked or damaged sections of the artery to restore blood flow to the heart.

Some people are candidates for a minimally invasive alternative or an off-pump (beating heart) option where the heart and lungs will continue to perform during surgery. Your Heart Team will help you determine the best treatment for you. An appointment with a cardiovascular surgeon requires a referral from your cardiologist or primary care provider.

How it works:

  1. You will be placed under anesthesia, hooked to a heart-lung machine and your doctor will make a chest incision.
  2. Your doctor will remove a healthy vessel from the chest or leg and connect (graft) it above and below the blockage.
  3. The graft will be stitched in to place, creating a new pathway for fresh blood.
  4. Oxygen-rich blood will pump through the strong, new graft to the rest of the body.
  5. Your Heart Team will closely monitor and partner with you to create a custom plan for recovery and rehabilitation.