When the arteries that supply the heart with blood (coronary arteries) become blocked with fatty substances, surgery may be required to restore blood flow to the heart muscle.

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery uses pieces of arteries from the arm or chest or from veins in the leg to create a detour around the blocked coronary artery.
The procedure involves making a cut through the front of the chest and breastbone (sternotomy) to expose the heart. The heart is then stopped and its function taken over by a heart-lung machine. Once the new blood vessels are in place, the heart is restarted, the heart-lung machine disconnected and the breastbone closed with wires. The operation usually takes between three and five hours.