Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG)

Trust VHC Health's skilled heart surgeons for CABG surgery in Arlington and the DC metro. This surgery helps your heart get the blood it needs. So, you feel stronger, safer, and able to do more in your daily life.

Treating Coronary Artery Disease

CABG treats coronary artery disease (CAD). This illness means the arteries that carry blood to your heart are narrow or blocked. This happens because plaque (fat and cholesterol) builds up inside the artery walls. When the arteries get tight, your heart doesn't get enough blood or oxygen.

CAD can cause:

• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing
• Fatigue
• Trouble being active

If the artery becomes fully blocked, you may have a heart attack. Over time, CAD can weaken your heart and cause very serious problems.

Who Needs Bypass Surgery?

VHC Health doctors usually try medicines and lifestyle changes first. If these don’t help enough, or if the blockage is too large, surgery may be the safest option. Your doctor will order a cardiac catheterization test to see how bad the blockages are. This test helps your team decide if CABG is right for you.

What Happens in CABG Surgery?

CABG surgery creates a new path for blood to flow around a blocked artery. Here’s what to expect:

• You get general anesthesia, so you sleep through the whole surgery.
• The surgeon divides your breastbone to reach your heart.
• You go on a heart‑lung machine, which keeps your blood moving during surgery.
• The surgeon takes a healthy vein or artery from your leg, chest, or arm.
• The surgeon attaches the healthy vein above and below the blockage. This makes a new “road” for blood to travel.

Bypass surgery usually takes four to five hours.

After CABG Surgery

You'll start recovering in VHC Health's intensive care unit (ICU). Nurses and doctors watch you closely and help you sit up, breathe deeply, and start moving again. When you get stronger, you'll move to the cardiovascular step‑down unit for a few more days.

Before you go home, your care team will make sure you can:

• Walk safely
• Eat regular food
• Take your medicines correctly
• Care for your incision

Learn more about your surgical experience at VHC Health.

CABG Follow-Up

You'll have a follow‑up appointment about one week after going home. Full recovery takes one to two months, depending on your health. As you recover, you'll feel less chest pain and have more energy because your heart gets the blood it needs. Many patients join cardiac rehabilitation, a safe exercise program that helps build strength and protect your heart.