Strong Heart and Vascular Center

Division of Cardiac Surgery

Surgical Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Aorta-coronary bypass, a surgical procedure designed to restore circulation to the heart, will relieve or lessen the symptoms of coronary artery disease and improve the function of your heart. In this operation, a segment of vein is removed from the leg. The vein segment is attached to the aorta and below the obstruction to the coronary artery (this is a venous bypass graft). In this way, blood is taken directly from the aorta, bypassed around the obstruction, in the coronary artery, which allows blood to flow to the heart muscle. One or more of the venous bypass grafts may be used depending upon the number of diseased arteries. You will have two incisions from your surgery, one in the midline of your chest and the other on the leg from which the vein graft was removed.

In addition to the segment of vein removed from the leg, the Internal Thoracic Artery (Mammary Artery) or the Radial Artery may be used as bypass grafts. The Mammary Artery lies beneath the breastbone, along the inside of the chest wall. One or two mammary arteries may be used as bypass grafts. Your surgeon will discuss the possibility of utilizing a mammary artery graft. Utilizing the mammary artery will not require an additional incision. The radial artery is localized in your forearm. If the radial artery is used it is usually taken from the non-dominate arm. The blood flow in your body is not affected by removing these blood vessels.

In preparation for your surgery, you will be visited by selected members of the Strong Heart and Vascular Center team who will be involved in your care before and after surgery. They will talk with you about your surgery and help you better understand the preoperative and postoperative routines and treatments you will experience.

Contact Us

For more information on aorta-coronary bypass, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at 585-275-5384.