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A 47-year-old member asked:

Is cabg (coronary artery bypass grafting) an open heart surgery or closed heart surgery?

3 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Benjamin Nguyen
A Verified Doctoranswered
15 years experience
Not necessarily: A CABG if done without cardiopulmonary bypass (cpb) does not require the heart to be opened, however most cabgs are done with cpb requires cannula placement in the heart. However, most people consider any surgery on the heart where the chest is opened open heart surgery.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Matthew Hennig
Surgery - Thoracic 21 years experience
Closed...: The heart is not actually opened unless you are repairing a valve or aortic aneurysm at the same time. Some would consider it only closed if no heart-lung machine is used for the surgery.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Donald Thomas
Thoracic Surgery 37 years experience
Closed: While the chest is opened to get to the heart to do bypass surgery the heart is not opened. The arteries are on the surface of the heart and therefore approached directly. See picture.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Mar 18, 2019

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