coronary artery bypass
noun
variants
or coronary bypass
or coronary artery bypass graft
or coronary artery bypass grafting
or coronary bypass graft
or coronary bypass grafting
: a surgical procedure performed to shunt blood around a narrowing or blockage in the coronary artery of the heart that usually involves grafting one end of a segment of blood vessel (such as a vein of the leg) removed from another part of the body into the aorta and the other end of the segment into the coronary artery beyond the obstructed area to allow for increased blood flow
—often followed by the word surgery or operation
The artery-dilating procedure, which uses a balloon or other device guided to the restricted artery by a cardiac catheter, is less invasive and traumatic than coronary artery bypass surgery.—Andrew Skolnick
Note: When more than one coronary artery or branch is bypassed, the number of times (double, triple, etc.) is often specified.
a quadruple coronary bypass
—abbreviation CABG
Cite this Entry
“Coronary artery bypass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronary%20artery%20bypass. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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