Sitemap

OTHER TREATMENTS

PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION (PCI)

CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING

PACEMAKERS

DC CARDIOVERSION

ABLATION THERAPY

Dr. Richard Mansfield

Dr. Richard Mansfield
BSc (Hons) MB ChB MD FRCP FESC
CONSULTANT CARDIOLOGIST

Note: I am happy to answer general questions regarding the content of this website, but I cannot give clinical advice. Such requests will not be answered.

Coronary artery bypass grafting

What is coronary artery bypass grafting?

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a routine treatment for patients with severe coronary artery disease. A number of grafts may need to be placed on the heart. Mostly this is carried out through a sternotomy, which is an incision through the breastbone. Traditionally the surgery was conducted with the heartbeat arrested and a pump taking over the circulation. Increasingly, however, patients have so called off pump surgery where the heart remains beating throughout the operation. Minimally invasive (key-hole) surgery is also carried out in certain situations.

What are grafts?

Grafts are made from the patients' own arteries or veins. Artery grafts include the internal mammary artery (IMA) or the radial artery in the forearm. Artery grafts have a life span of over 20 years and vein grafts an average of 10-12 years.

Is it safe?

Overall the risks of bypass surgery are small and in the order of 1 or 2% (including death and stroke) however most patients have an excellent outcome. Patients are usually in for hospital for between 5 and 7 days.

How long are patients off work after surgery?

Many patients after bypass surgery may return to work after about 6-8 weeks.

Will I still need to take tablets?

Yes.

Whilst CABG is a very effective treatment it must be combined with a number of medications in the long term to reduce the risks of the grafts furring up. These include aspirin, statins and often beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors.