CABG / Open Heart :
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a heart surgery that opens up blocked heart vessels. Coronary artery disease results in narrowed or blocked vessels which can lead to heart attacks or myocardial infarctions. A cardiologist places the patient under general anesthesia for the procedure. A direct access to the heart is necessary for the procedure, hence, an incision along the breast bone is placed. An artery is obtained generally from a vein in the leg. The heart and lungs are connected to an external machine to continue function.
The arteries that were obtained are connected to the vessels that are blocked so that the blood flows uninterrupted. The heart is restarted and the flow is assessed in the newly placed blood vessel grafts. The incisions are closed for recovery. The patient is placed in close observation in an ICU for a period of at least three nights where the vitals are constantly monitored.