Scientists develop 'cyborg engineering' for coronary bypas...(udy moves us toward that reality. A...),Health

According to the National Institutes of Health, coronary artery bypass grafting is the most common open heart surgery in the United States, with 500,000 procedures performed each year. It is one of only a few surgical options to treat coronary artery disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. During this surgery, a healthy vein or artery from another part of the body is connected to the blocked coronary artery to route blood flow around a blocked passage. Current procedures are limited, however, by the availability of healthy veins or arteries as well as the patient's ability to survive both aspects of the procedure. Furthermore, many patients experience significant pain in the area where the vein or artery was removed. Using artificial veins or arteries instead would reduce recovery time, reduce pain, and save lives by making this type of surgery more available to people who need it.

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