Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Expertise in Coronary Bypass Surgery
NewYork-Presbyterian Queens has earned three out of three stars, the highest category of quality, from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. This designation places us among the top 10 percent of heart bypass surgery programs in the United States and Canada.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when fatty deposits build up along the inside of the arteries supplying blood to your heart—a process known as atherosclerosis. A heart attack happens when these blockages deprive the heart muscle of oxygen, which can cause the death of heart tissue. If you have coronary artery disease that doesn’t improve with lifestyle changes, medication, or an interventional heart procedure such as a stent, you may benefit from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
What Is Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG)?
During CABG, the surgeon takes a blood vessel from another part of your body and uses it to reroute blood around blockages in your coronary arteries to restore blood flow. You may have one or more arteries bypassed, depending on how many blockages you have.
Research has shown that using arteries instead of veins to perform the bypass improves the durability of the bypass grafts. Many patients are candidates for CABG using multiple arterial grafts. Our surgeons carefully analyze each patient’s coronary angiograms and perform ultrasound testing of the arteries in the arms to choose the best option, whether that is bilateral internal mammary grafting (BIMA), radial artery grafting, or saphenous vein grafting.
How is CABG Done?
There are several types of CABG surgery. Our expert cardiac surgeons carefully evaluate your heart and your overall health to determine which procedure is most appropriate for you. During the most common CABG procedure, the surgeon opens the chest to expose the heart, which is then temporarily stopped from beating while the patient is attached to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (or heart-lung pump). This machine circulates purified blood and oxygen through the rest of the body during the operation, allowing the surgical team to operate on a stable, non-beating heart. Sometimes this procedure can be done without a heart-lung machine.
Why Choose Us
NewYork-Presbyterian Queens is the only hospital in Queens that offers CABG. As a patient at NewYork-Presbyterian, you’ll receive a highly-personalized, outstanding level of care delivered by our dedicated team of skilled and caring heart specialists. About 70% of the cardiac surgeries performed here are CABG, giving us exceptional experience in this operation. We have expertise in every type of CABG approach and will match you with the operation that best meets your needs. Make an appointment with one of our expert cardiac surgeons today.