Coronary artery bypass surgery for coronary artery disease
A coronary artery is narrowed or blocked
slide 1 of 5
slide 1 of 5, A coronary artery is narrowed or blocked,
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery reroutes blood around
narrowed or blocked arteries, increasing blood flow to the heart muscle tissue.
The sternum is cut
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slide 2 of 5, The sternum is cut,
The surgeon makes a vertical incision in the skin and muscle in the
middle of the chest and then cuts through the breastbone (sternum).
The heart is exposed
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slide 3 of 5, The heart is exposed,
The surgeon spreads the rib cage with a retractor to expose the heart
and then cuts through the lining that protects the heart (pericardium).
Blood flow is rerouted
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slide 4 of 5, Blood flow is rerouted,
To reroute blood flow around the diseased blood vessel, surgeons
typically use a portion of the saphenous vein in the leg or an internal mammary
artery.
Oxygen-rich blood flows to heart muscle
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slide 5 of 5, Oxygen-rich blood flows to heart muscle,
Regardless of which type of blood vessel is used, oxygen-rich blood
from the aorta is rerouted around the narrowed or blocked section of the coronary artery to
feed the heart muscle.
ByHealthwise Staff Primary Medical ReviewerRakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Specialist Medical ReviewerDavid C. Stuesse, MD - Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery
Medical Review:
Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & David C. Stuesse, MD - Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery
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