Bypass surgery for coronary artery disease

Bypass surgery is a standard procedure for the treatment of coronary heart disease. During the operation, severely narrowed or completely blocked coronary arteries are bypassed in order to restore an optimal blood supply to the heart muscle. For this purpose, a vascular substitute is prepared from the patient's veins and arteries.

The vascular graft, known as graft material, is usually the left, often also the right thoracic artery, as well as the left brachial artery or a vein from the leg. The graft is sutured to a suitable location behind the narrowing of the coronary artery and the blood flow is guided around the narrowed area.

Surgical access for bypass surgery

Bypass surgery is usually performed via a median sternotomy: after induction of general anesthesia, the sternum is cut in the middle, the heart is exposed and connected to the heart-lung machine.

Alternatively, this operation can also be performed without a heart-lung machine - with so-called off-pump surgery. Off-pump surgery is a technological innovation and can be used routinely for most patients. It enables a gentle operation.