Coronary artery bypass

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery that improves blood flow to the heart. Surgeons use CABG to treat people who have severe coronary heart disease (CHD).

Overview

CHD is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Over time, plaque can harden or rupture (break open). Hardened plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. This can cause chest pain or discomfort called angina.

If the plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form on its surface. A large blood clot can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. This is the most common cause of a heart attack. Over time, ruptured plaque also hardens and narrows the coronary arteries.

CABG is one treatment for CHD. During CABG, a healthy artery or vein from the body is connected, or grafted, to the blocked coronary artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses (that is, goes around) the blocked portion of the coronary artery. This creates a new path for oxygen-rich blood to flow to the heart muscle.

Surgeons can bypass multiple coronary arteries during one surgery.

Types of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

There are several types of CABG. These include:

• Traditional Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
• Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
• Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Risks

As with any surgery, CABG has risks. These risks include infection, bleeding, and complications from anesthesia. The risk of complications is higher in people who are older or who have other health conditions, such as diabetes.

Recovery and Outlook

Recovery from CABG surgery involves managing pain and healing from the incision. Most people stay in the hospital for a few days after surgery and may need several weeks to recover fully.

The outlook after CABG surgery is generally good, but it depends on the person's overall health and the severity of their CHD.

Prevention

Preventing CHD is the best way to prevent the need for CABG surgery. This can involve lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking.

Coronary artery bypass Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski