COMLEX Osteopathic Medicine

Answer - C - When a patient has severe blockage of the coronary arteries, there are two methodologies or procedures that can prevent the blockage from causing damage or prevent further damage. For arteries that are blocked, but not 100% blocked, a stent that forces the artery open can be placed via cardiac catheterization. When possible, this is the preferred method because it does not require open-heart surgery. For patients who have 100% blockage of one or more of their coronary arteries, open heart surgery is performed. This is called a coronary arterial bypass graft (CABG). In this procedure, surgeons physically reroute the blood flow away from the blocked portion of artery.