Bypass Surgery
Bypass surgery is the most common kind of heart surgery performed at Lima Memorial Heart and Vascular Institute. It goes by many names – coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, coronary artery bypass (CAB), coronary bypass – but most people just call it bypass surgery. It involves sewing a section of healthy vein from the leg, chest or other part of the body to “bypass” a diseased coronary artery. This creates a new route for blood to flow, so that the heart muscle gets the oxygen-rich blood it needs. You’ll often hear the terms single bypass, double bypass, and so on. This refers to the number of arteries that are bypassed, not necessarily how severe the heart condition is.
The bypass surgery process is much like open-heart surgery, except that the chambers of the heart are not opened. The breastbone (sternum) is divided, the heart is stopped and blood is sent through a heart-lung machine during the operation. Unlike other kinds of heart surgery, the chambers of the heart are not opened; bypass surgery is about treating the arteries that feed the heart.
Bypass surgery is not minor surgery. The surgeons at Lima Memorial Heart and Vascular Institute have the experience and expertise that can lead to better outcomes and healthier hearts.
To contact Lima Memorial Heart and Vascular Institute or learn more about bypass surgery, call 419-224-5915.
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