This is a type of heart surgery. It's sometimes called CABG ("cabbage"). The surgery reroutes, or "bypasses," blood around clogged arteries to improve blood flow and oxygen to the heart.

Why is this surgery done?

The arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) can become clogged by plaque (a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances). This can slow or stop blood flow through the heart's blood vessels, leading to chest pain or a heart attack. Increasing blood flow to the heart muscle can relieve chest pain and reduce the risk of heart attack.

How is coronary bypass done?

Surgeons take a segment of a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and make a detour around the blocked part of the coronary artery.

• An artery may be detached from the chest wall and the open end attached to the coronary artery below the blocked area.

• A piece of a long vein in your leg may be taken. One end is sewn to the aorta and the other end of the vein is attached or "grafted" to the coronary artery below the blocked area.

• Either way, blood can use this new path to flow freely to the heart muscle.

      A patient may undergo one, two, three or more bypass grafts, depending on how many coronary arteries are blocked.

    

    *Resource : American Heart Association Website