CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT

Course overview

CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING (CABG) IS A MAJOR SURGICAL OPERATION WHERE ATHEROMATOUS BLOCKAGES IN A PATIENT’S CORONARY ARTERIES ARE BYPASSED WITH HARVESTED VENOUS OR ARTERIAL CONDUITS. THE BYPASS RESTORES BLOOD FLOW TO THE ISCHEMIC MYOCARDIUM WHICH, IN TURN, RESTORES FUNCTION, VIABILITY, AND RELIEVES ANGINAL SYMPTOMS. ALMOST 400,000 CABG SURGERIES ARE PERFORMED EACH YEAR MAKING IT THE MOST COMMONLY PERFORMED MAJOR SURGICAL PROCEDURE, BUT SURGICAL TRENDS HAVE DECREASED AS THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS SUCH AS MEDICAL TREATMENT AND PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION (PCI) HAVE INCREASED. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE INDICATIONS FOR CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CAD.