Which procedure uses a graft from another artery or vein to bypass a blocked coronary artery?

• A. A balloon is inflated to press plaque against vessel walls.
• B. A catheter is used to remove plaque.
• C. A small section of an artery/vein is removed and used to create a detour around the obstructed portion.
• D. A stent is placed.

Answer: (C)

The procedure described is coronary artery bypass grafting, which creates a new path for blood to reach heart tissue by using a graft from another artery or vein. A segment of a vessel is taken and sewn to the coronary artery upstream and downstream of a blocked section, forming a detour around the obstruction. This restores blood flow to the heart muscle distal to the blockage. Common grafts come from the internal mammary artery or a saphenous vein.

Balloon inflation (angioplasty) widens the native artery by pressing plaque against the vessel wall, but it doesn’t create a new route for blood flow. Removing plaque with a catheter (atherectomy) alters the blockage within the existing vessel rather than bypassing it. Placing a stent keeps the original artery open but again does not form a detour.