Bypass Surgery
The cardiac surgeons at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute (IHVI) are national leaders in 
coronary bypass surgery. We offer the most advanced technology available, using off-pump bypass surgery whenever possible. Our surgeons are experts in several forms of bypass surgery, including minimally invasive techniques, to assure your best individualized outcome.
IHVI is one of the first cardiac programs in the United States to utilize the da Vinci Surgical System® for minimally invasive bypass surgery. Inova surgeons also employ endoscopic, small incision techniques to harvest veins used in bypass surgery.
Coronary artery bypass surgery (also called CABG, CAB and bypass surgery)
Bypass surgery creates new pathways of circulation around existing blockages or narrowings, allowing blood to once again reach your heart muscle. In most cases, your Inova cardiac surgeon uses a healthy blood vessel from another part of your body. The saphenous vein in the leg or an internal mammary artery in the chest are most commonly used. Occasionally the radial artery in the arm is needed. This vessel becomes the new conduit to the coronary artery and “bypasses” the blocked or narrowed portion of the artery.
Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB)
During OPCAB the heart continues beating while the bypass graft is sewn in place. In some patients, OPCAB may reduce the need for blood transfusion, renal complications and postoperative complications.
