From the Guidelines
The first cardiovascular surgeon to perform coronary artery bypass surgery was Dr. René Favaloro. According to historical medical advancements, Dr. Favaloro, an Argentine surgeon, pioneered this procedure in 1967 at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio 1. He developed the technique of using a segment of the patient's own saphenous vein to bypass blockages in the coronary arteries, restoring blood flow to the heart muscle. Some key points about this procedure include:
- The use of a patient's own saphenous vein as a graft to bypass blocked coronary arteries
- The procedure was first performed in 1967, marking a significant milestone in the treatment of coronary artery disease
- Dr. Favaloro's innovation addressed coronary artery disease by creating a detour around the blocked portion of the artery, allowing oxygenated blood to reach the heart tissue that was previously deprived
- Before Favaloro's innovation, coronary artery disease was largely untreatable through surgical means, and his technique fundamentally changed cardiac care by providing a way to directly treat coronary blockages
- The procedure he developed has since saved millions of lives worldwide and remains a cornerstone of modern cardiac surgery, though it has been refined with newer techniques and arterial grafts over the decades. The introduction of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has evolved rapidly as the standard of care for patients with extensive coronary artery disease, as discussed in the context of optimizing outcomes and future prospects 1.
From the Research
First Cardiovascular Surgeon to Perform Coronary Artery Bypass
- The first reported coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using the internal mammary artery (IMA) in humans was performed by R. Goetz in 1960 using the sutureless technique 2.
- V. Kolessov performed the first sutured bypass grafting using the IMA in 1964 2.
- Other notable surgeons who performed early CABG procedures include D. Sabiston (1962), H. Garrett (1964), D. Kahn (1966), and R. Favaloro (1967) 2.
Evolution of CABG
- The development of CABG has undergone significant advancements since its introduction, with improvements in intraoperative technique and perioperative care 3, 4.
- The use of arterial grafts, such as the left and right internal thoracic arteries and the radial artery, has improved patency rates compared to saphenous vein grafts 5.
- Contemporary CABG surgery techniques and subsequent percutaneous revascularization have become increasingly complex, with a focus on optimizing treatment selection and outcomes 6, 5.