Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
If bypass surgery is your best treatment option, choose a team of specialists with experience successfully performing your procedure. Expect superior, comprehensive care at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula’s Tyler Heart Institute.
What’s CABG?
CABG can treat one or more blocked coronary arteries and restore blood flow to your heart. During surgery, your doctor takes a section of a healthy blood vessel from another part of your body and connects (grafts) it to the blocked heart artery. This allows blood to flow, or bypass, the blockage.
Benefits of CABG
Most people are free of symptoms like chest pain for 10 to 15 years after CABG. The procedure can also lower your risk of having a heart attack.
Conditions treated
Your cardiologist may recommend CABG as part of your treatment plan if you have:
What to expect
You’ll be under general anesthesia during your operation. This means you won’t feel pain, be awake, or remember the procedure.
To perform CABG, your cardiothoracic surgeon will make an incision in your chest. This is known as traditional, or open-heart, surgery.
If you have more than one blocked artery, your surgeon may bypass all those arteries during the same procedure. Depending on how many arteries are treated, you may have a double, triple, or quadruple bypass.
CABG usually lasts between three to six hours, depending on the number of arteries being bypassed.
Your care team
At Tyler Heart Institute, you’ll benefit from a team-based, multidisciplinary approach to your surgery. Your CABG team will include:
- Cardiothoracic surgeon
- Anesthesiologist
- Other surgeons
- Nurses
Postoperative (post-op) care
After CABG, you’ll stay in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a setting with advanced medical technology that our staff use to continuously monitor your:
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Oxygen levels
When you’re ready to leave the ICU, you’ll move to a different nursing area in the hospital for less-intensive care before going home.
Recovery at home
Your full recovery may take six to 12 weeks or more. Follow your care team’s instructions for taking care of yourself at home. Your doctor will provide a referral for cardiac rehabilitation, which can help you heal faster and enjoy an overall healthier lifestyle.
