Heart bypass surgery is a type of surgery that is used to improve blood flow to the heart in people with severe coronary artery disease (CAD). It’s used when at least one major artery needs to be bypassed. During the surgery, the chest bone is opened to access the heart. Medicines are given to stop the heart, and a heart-lung machine is used to keep blood and oxygen moving throughout the body during surgery. This allows the surgeon to operate on a still heart.

After surgery, the heart is restarted using mild electric shocks. During this surgery, the doctor takes a vein or artery from another part of your body and uses it to create a detour (or graft) around the blocked area in your artery. After the graft has been created, your breastbone will be reconnected with wire, and your incision will be sewn closed. The wire will remain inside you. This surgery can take 4 to 6 hours. After the surgery, you will be taken to the Intensive Care Unit.

Heart bypass surgery can be used to treat coronary artery disease. Your doctor may have tried to treat you with medicines only. You may have also tried cardiac rehabilitation.