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Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

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Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is surgery to reroute or bypass clogged coronary arteries and improve the supply of blood (and therefore oxygen) to the heart muscle. During this procedure, one end of a blood vessel from another part of the body (e.g. the leg or the chest wall) is connected (grafted) to the aorta and the other end is connected (grafted) to the coronary artery below the blockage. Blood can then bypass the blocked artery and flow freely to the heart muscle.

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Glossary

Glossary entries within this article:

Acidosis
- The pH of blood tissue is reduced on account of excessive acid due to failure of circulation or a serious lack of oxygen.
Aorta
- The chief artery that receives blood from the left ventricle of the heart and causes it to flow to the body.
Aortic valve
- Heart valve between the aorta and the left ventricle.
Aortic
- Relating to the aorta, which is the major vessel which carries oxygen-enriched blood from the heart to the body. The term is sometimes used to refer to the aortic valve, which is the valve that prevents a return flow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle, aortic stenosis, for instance.
Artery
- A vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. It generally carries blood which is rich in oxygen. The exception in mammals is the pulmonary artery which takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
Blood pressure
- Pressure which is exerted by the heart when it pumps blood.
Blue babies
- This is due to insufficient oxygen in the arterial blood and may be caused by a heart defect, poor respiration, or premature birth.
CAD (coronary artery disease)
- Condition in which deposits of fat or plaques build up in the cells lining the wall of a coronary artery, thus obstructing the flow of blood.
Collateral circulation
- Network of small arteries which are normally closed. If the coronary artery is blocked, they may open up in order to take blood to the heart.
Coronary angiogram
- A test to indicate where the arteries are constricted and how narrow they have become.
Coronary
- Relating to the heart or one of the two arteries which originate in the aorta and supply blood directly to the heart tissue.
Graft
- Transplanted organ or tissue.
Congestive Heart Failure
- Condition in which the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet the requirements of the other organs in the body.
Heart-lung machine
- (cardiopulmonary bypass) Instrument which oxygenates and pumps blood during open-heart surgery.
Ischemic heart disease
- Disorder caused by insufficient blood supply due to a constriction of coronary arteries.
Pulmonary artery
- Artery which takes blood from the heart to the lungs.

In the glossary you will find terms that we have provided with some extra-information.

Glossary

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