Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. Many people find out they have CAD after they have a heart attack.

The coronary arteries are the blood vessels that provide the heart muscle with oxygen and nutrients. There are normally two — one on the right side, and another on the left. The one on the left divides into two major branches: the anterior descending, which goes down the front, and the circumflex, which circles around the back.

Arteriosclerosis is a disease process by which these arteries develop blockages or hardening of the arteries. A blocked coronary artery does not allow the normal flow of oxygen and nutrients to a highly specialized muscle that has no oxygen reserves. Consequently when the heart has to work harder, it sends a message (usually in the form of pain and a sensation of fear) that causes the patient to slow down until the pain goes away. This is commonly referred to as angina. This can lead to serious problems, including a heart attack.

Most often these blockages can be treated with non-surgical techniques used by cardiologists. However, there still remain a significant number of patients who are best treated with Coronary Bypass Surgery. This procedure consists of constructing a bypass conduit around the blockage, usually from the aorta to the coronary artery.