Vascular Bypass - Types of Bypass Surgeries

Types of Bypass Surgeries

There are several different types of bypass surgeries:

  • Heart bypass surgery is performed when the arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) become clogged by plaque. Such condition may lead to chest pain or heart attack.
  • A bypass may be performed on peripheral arteries with occlusive disease. For example, a femoral-popliteal bypass might be used if the femoral artery was occluded.
  • The cerebral artery bypass surgery is performed to reroute blood flow around a blocked or damaged artery to improve or restore blood flow to an oxygen-deprived (ischemic) area of the brain.

When several arteries are blocked and thus several bypasses are needed the procedure is called multiple bypass. The number of bypasses needed does not increase the surgery's risks which depend on the patient's overall health. Weight and diabetes are examples of possible risks.

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