Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), or bypass surgery, is an open heart surgery procedure which involves the rerouting of blood flow to the heart by surgically attaching an additional blood flow vessel to bypass a blocked or extremely narrowed coronary artery.

A vein from the leg, an existing artery in the chest wall or an artery from the forearm (radial artery) can be used as a bypass vessel. One end of the vessel is connected to the aorta where the coronary artery originates, and the other end to the affected coronary artery, below the blockage area.

Arterial grafts have been shown to have greater durability and improve long-term survival. Patients are more likely to receive arterial grafting at Beth Israel than other hospitals in New York State. Only 18% of patients undergoing CABG in NY State receive 2 or more arterial grafts compared to 68% at Beth Israel. In addition, 27% of our patients receive 3 or more arterial grafts, compared to only 2% in NY State.

Patients can have from one to five bypasses done, and the surgery can take from two to six hours, depending on the number of bypasses needed. The hospital stay for bypass surgery is generally between three to five days.

The cardiac surgeons at Beth Israel Medical Center have outstanding reputations for performing coronary artery bypass surgery, and their results have been recognized by the New York State Department of Health as among the best in the New York metropolitan area.

Physicians: Click Here to review our outstanding 14-year results using the radial artery and left internal thoracic artery for bypass surgery.

Beth Israel heart surgeons have particular expertise in the higher-risk reoperative setting, as well as with combination bypass and valve repair/replacement procedures.

To maintain your cardiovascular health after surgery, making lifestyle changes and taking medications as prescribed are strongly recommended. Heart-healthy lifestyle changes that are important to your recovery include:

• Quitting smoking
  
• Treating high cholesterol
  
• Managing high blood pressure and diabetes
  
• Exercising regularly
  
• Maintaining a healthy weight
  
• Eating a heart-healthy diet
  
• Participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program, as recommended
  
• Following up with your doctor for regular visits

To schedule a consultation for bypass surgery with a Beth Israel cardiac surgeon, call (212) 420-2584.

Beth Israel Medical Center
Division of Cardiac Surgery
317 E. 17th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10003
(212) 420-2584