Glossary term · Treatment
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (also: CABG, Heart bypass surgery, Bypass surgery): CABG is open-heart surgery that uses a blood vessel taken from elsewhere in the body to bypass blocked coronary arteries.
Coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG, is heart surgery that creates a new route for blood to flow around a blocked coronary artery. MedlinePlus explains that the surgeon uses a healthy blood vessel from the leg, chest or wrist as the graft. It is done under general anaesthesia and is a major operation needing an intensive care stay.
How is CABG done?
MedlinePlus says the surgeon usually makes an incision down the middle of the chest and separates the breastbone. Most patients are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine while the heart is stopped. Some operations are done on a beating heart, called off-pump surgery (OPCAB). Grafts may come from:
- The saphenous vein in the leg.
- The internal mammary artery in the chest.
- The radial artery in the wrist.
When is it considered?
MedlinePlus says CABG is used when one or more coronary arteries are blocked. Doctors usually try medicines, lifestyle changes or angioplasty with stenting first. A heart team reviews your coronary angiography to decide between bypass and angioplasty.
What are the risks?
MedlinePlus lists risks including bleeding, infection, heart attack, stroke, heart rhythm problems, kidney or lung failure, mood changes and memory or thinking difficulties. Your surgeon will explain your own risk.
What should travelling patients plan for?
MedlinePlus describes a hospital stay with the first night in intensive care, followed by cardiac rehabilitation. Bring an attendant. You will need help with daily tasks after discharge. Ask the hospital about wound checks, rehabilitation and when follow-up can move to a cardiologist at home. Your surgeon decides when it is safe to fly.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between CABG and angioplasty?
Angioplasty opens a narrowed artery from inside using a balloon and stent passed through a catheter. CABG is open surgery that builds a new route around the blockage. The heart team chooses based on how many arteries are affected and where.
Will the bypass stop future blockages?
No. MedlinePlus says the grafts often work well for many years but the surgery does not prevent new blockages. Not smoking, a heart-healthy diet, exercise, controlling blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, and prescribed medicines all matter.
Sources
General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. Your treating specialist decides on suitability, treatment and length of stay. How we write and check.