<unk> , also known as coronary artery<unk>  graft <unk> , pronounced "cabbage")<unk> , and colloquially heart<unk>  or<unk><unk> , is a surgical procedure to restore normal blood flow to an obstructed coronary artery. A normal coronary artery transports blood to the heart muscle itself, not through the main circulatory system. There are two main approaches. In one, the left internal thoracic artery, LITA (also called left internal mammary artery, LIMA) is diverted to the left anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery. In this method, the artery is "pedicled" which means it is not detached from the origin. In the other, a great saphenous vein is removed from a leg; one end is attached to the aorta or one of its major branches, and the other end is attached to the obstructed artery immediately after the obstruction to restore blood flow.<unk>  is performed to relieve angina that is poorly managed by maximum tolerated anti-ischemic medication, prevent or relieve left ventricular dysfunction, and/or reduce the risk of death.<unk>  does not prevent myocardial infarction (heart attack). This<unk>  is usually performed with the heart stopped, necessitating the usage of cardiopulmonary<unk> . However, two alternative techniques are also available, allowing<unk>  to be performed on a beating heart either without using the cardiopulmonary<unk> , a procedure referred to as "off-pump"<unk> , or performing beating<unk>  using partial assistance of the cardiopulmonary<unk> , a procedure referred to as "on-pump beating"<unk> . The latter procedure offers the advantages of the on-pump stopped and off-pump while minimizing their respective side-effects.<unk>  is often indicated when coronary arteries have a 50 to 99 percent obstruction. The obstruction being<unk> ed is typically due to arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, or both. Arteriosclerosis is characterized by thickening, loss of elasticity, and calcification of the arterial wall, most often resulting in a generalized narrowing in the affected coronary artery. Atherosclerosis is characterized by yellowish plaques of cholesterol, lipids, and cellular debris deposited into the inner layer of the wall of a large or medium-sized coronary artery, most often resulting in a partial obstruction in the affected artery. Either condition can limit blood flow if it causes a cross-sectional narrowing of at least 50%.
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Bypass surgery
Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass surgery
Cardiomyoplasty
Aortic valvuloplasty
Coronary stent
Valvulotomy
Percutaneous coronary intervention