MHVI Owners Manual . Procedures . Open Heart Surgery . Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a procedure that is performed to restore the flow of blood to areas of your heart where the coronary arteries have become blocked. This surgery is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia and through a chest incision. During this operation, a segment of a blood vessel that can be spared from another location in your body is used to "bypass" or go around the blockages. This segment of blood vessel can be a vein, usually taken from the leg, or an artery, most often the internal mammary arteries from your chest wall, or an artery from your arm. This piece of artery or vein is called a graft. One end of the graft is sewn into the affected coronary artery beyond the blockage and the other end is attached to the aorta, the big blood vessel that comes directly out of the heart. Blood is then able to flow normally through the graft, to your heart, "bypassing" the blockage. Your surgeon's aim is to bypass all of the blocked areas; this might result in as many as four or five bypasses.

The surgery typically takes four to five hours to complete. After the operation, your care will begin in an intensive care unit. The total hospital stay typically varies between four and seven days during which you are encouraged to gradually increase your activity. Your arm or leg is able to easily compensate for the loss of the vessel that is used in the operation. During recovery from the surgery, movement and walking will not be affected by having these vessels removed. Specific aftercare will be explained to you in detail. It will include a recommendation that you participate in cardiac rehabilitation. You will also receive information on the things you can do to help keep your bypasses and you healthy.

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