CABG ( Coronary Artery BYPASS Grafting )

The type of heart surgery that improves blood flow to the heart muscles by passing through narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. It involves taking a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body, such as the leg or arm, and grafting it to create a new route for blood to flow around the blockage. It is performed to treat coronary artery disease and prevent heart attacks.

Procedure:  A healthy artery or vein is used to create a new path for blood flow to the heart muscle, bypassing the blocked part of the original artery.

Purpose: To restore blood flow to the heart muscles that can reduce the risk of a heart attack or severe coronary artery disease.

Causes: It is used to treat coronary artery disease (COD) that is caused by buildup of a plaque that narrows the arteries.

Techniques: It can be performed as an “open heart surgery” where the heart is stopped and a heart –lung machine is used or through less invasive “off-pump technique”. This surgery is performed without heart-lung bypass machine, which can reduce certain risks, like bleeding and stroke.

Graft source: Healthy blood vessels used for the graft are typically taken from the legs (veins) or from the chest (arteries).

What to expect: Recovery time varies, but many people can walk after a few days and are fully recovered within 12 weeks.