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

Examples of coronary artery bypass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Baribeau then ran into complications with the elective surgery, a coronary artery bypass, and had to stay with that patient. BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Lansing performed the first kidney transplant in Louisville and the first coronary artery bypass. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 20 July 2022 In 1979, only four years after winning Wimbledon, Ashe had a heart attack and underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. Barron H. Lerner, STAT, 28 June 2022 February 18, 2012 - Undergoes successful coronary artery bypass surgery. CNN, 15 Dec. 2021 The devices are typically for children with congenital heart defects or adults who have had a coronary artery bypass graft, who may need a temporary pacemaker to correct a slowed heart rhythm for only a few days or weeks. Kevin Lin, STAT, 3 July 2021 But other procedures, such as coronary artery bypass surgery or major cancer surgery, require intensive care and several days of hospitalization. Dallas News, 6 Dec. 2020 Meanwhile, women who performed any amount of resistance training reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart attack, stroke, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, an angioplasty or death from cardiovascular disease) by 17 percent. Pam Moore, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2020 For the purposes of this study, researchers defined cardiovascular disease as the first instance of a heart attack, undergoing a revascularization procedure (such as a coronary artery bypass) or having a fatal or nonfatal stroke. Ryan Prior, CNN, 13 May 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coronary artery bypass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coronary artery bypass was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near coronary artery bypass

Cite this Entry

“Coronary artery bypass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronary%20artery%20bypass. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

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 the saphenous vein) 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
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, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Diagnostic workups that help a physician decide whether a patient should have coronary bypass or drugs to treat heart disease should be performed on the basis of a particular patient's status.Science News

Note: When more than one coronary artery or branch is bypassed, the number of times (double, triple, etc.) is often specified.

Four days later he underwent a quadruple coronary bypass operation.Jerry Kirshenbaum, Sports Illustrated
abbreviation CABG
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