Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)

Beating-Heart CABG

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), used to treat patients with blockages in their coronary arteries due to cardiovascular disease, has been available for over 30 years. During a traditional CABG procedure, the patient is placed on a heart-lung bypass machine, which acts as the pumping system for the patient’s body so the surgeon can operate on a still heart. Beating-heart CABG is a new twist on this established procedure – it does not require the use of a heart-lung bypass machine, which reduces recovery time – that, just as it says, allows the surgeon to operate on the beating heart. As of November 2000, 100 BHC procedures had been performed at Guthrie.

• About Beating-Heart CABG
• Frequently Asked Questions
• One Patient’s Story
• Specialists for This Topic