The coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is the gold-standard surgical treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD). It is a relatively safe procedure that is performed thousands of times every year for treating CAD. CAD is characterized by the hardening and narrowing (atherosclerosis) of the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. If left untreated, CAD may lead to a heart attack.

During CABG, a surgeon harvests a segment of a healthy blood vessel (either an artery or  vein) from another part of the body and uses it to create a detour or bypass around the blocked portion of the coronary artery. As a result, oxygen-rich blood can flow more freely to nourish the heart muscle. Depending on the number of blocked coronary arteries, a patient may need one, two, three or more bypasses. 

For various medical reasons, only about one-tenth of CAD patients even need this type of heart surgery. Those who have the surgery need to stay in the hospital for at least three to five days afterward while recovering. After returning home, further recovery time will be necessary.

The CABG is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, more than 467,000 CABGs were performed in 2003. Also increasing is the age at which the procedure can be safely performed, as individuals 80 years of age and older have benefited from CABG. Although there are risks associated with any surgery, the potential life-saving benefits of a CABG usually outweigh the risks.

Coronary artery bypass surgery is often known simply as a “bypass” and is referred to as such in this article. Surgeons also perform other types of bypass surgery to treat diseases in other parts of the body, including peripheral vascular disease.