Open Heart Surgery Services

Open Heart Surgery is also called Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, or CABG. This is a surgery used to address coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits and/or calcium (also referred to as plaque) build up within the lining of the coronary (heart) arteries. This plaque build-up can reduce the flow of blood through the coronary arteries. When an area of the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood, angina (heart discomfort) or even a heart attack may occur.

Located in the Meriter Heart Hospital, our experienced surgeons respond immediately to cardiac cases from Emergency Services and Intensive Care. They also perform pre-scheduled cardiovascular surgeries. Our surgeons have been recognized as the "Best in Madison" and distinguished by their peers as some of the "Best Cardiovascular Surgeons in the Nation."

• Traditional CABG - A surgical procedure in which the chest is opened, the heart is stopped, a heart-lung machine is used and blockages in the coronary arteries are "bypassed" by veins and/or arteries from other areas of the body. For more information, read our Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery article. An animation on Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts is also available in our site.
• Off-pump CABG - A coronary artery bypass procedure performed while the heart is still beating. No heart-lung machine is used. Specialized equipment is used to still areas of the heart during surgery. For more information, read our Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery article.
• CABG with Endoscopic Vein Harvesting - Coronary artery bypass procedure performed using a special laproscopic technique to take veins from the leg(s) through small incisions. For more information, read our Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery article, which contains information about vein harvesting.
• Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (MIDCAB) - A procedure similar to the Traditional CABG (above) and known as "MID-CAB." Minimally invasive means that the surgeon accesses the heart with less trauma, and thru a smaller incision, than traditional bypass surgery. For more information, read our Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery article, which contains information about MIDCAB.

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6/23/2008