Current status of coronary artery bypass surgery

Surgical revascularization for atherosclerotic heart disease, also called coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), was first performed in 1962, and is one of the great achievements in medicine. Relief of angina, improvement of exercise tolerance, and the realization of survival benefit have been documented.1 CABG has been used in multi-vessel disease and left main stenosis for over 40 years.2 In the last two decades the mortality of CABG has decreased to less than 2% despite an aging population with increased risk factors. However, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially with drug-eluting stents, has been challenging CABG, While PCI has improved, CABG has also progressed with better peri-operative management, a higher use of arterial grafting, off-pump surgery, and improved techniques with minimally invasive surgical options.3,4