QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: GLOSSARY

CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting)

Surgical operation in which another artery (internal mammary from the chest wall) or vein (saphenous taken from the leg) is sewn with one end before the coronary artery narrowing and the other half beyond the narrowing. This enables blood to enter the working heart around the obstruction.

This operation is an alternative to percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and is particularly valuable for obstruction near the start of the left coronary artery and when all coronary branches are narrowed simultaneously. After the operation, the patient must refrain from smoking and must take drugs to prevent coronary heart disease.

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