Type of Surgery

This narrated animation shows what happens in a myocardial infarction or heart attack. It shows how a blockage of a coronary artery causes a heart attack, leads to heart damage, and may lead to arrhythmias (abnormal electrical activity of the heart).

Related Videos

Coronary Angiography

This video describes how the circulatory system works, how disease can affect blood vessels (atherosclerosis), and how doctors use angiography to test for coronary artery blockage.

The Pacemaker of the Heart

Tiny electric currents flow through the heart muscle and cause them to contract, squeezing blood throughout the body. This animation shows the electrical system of the heart and how it is driven by a small patch of tissue called the cardiac pacemaker or sinoatrial node.

PreOp® Coronary Artery Bypass CABG) Patient Education

Provides an overview of the circulatory system including the blood vessels that supply the heart. When these coronary arteries become blocked, the vessels need to be bypassed with other blood vessels. The animation describes a coronary artery bypass graft surgery or CABG.

Mitral Valve Repair

This video includes echocardiogram information from a patient showing severe mitral valve prolapse and actual footage during repair of a mitral valve. This view is from inside the heart that has had all of the blood removed and diverted (not shown).

Other Information

How many open-heart surgeries are performed each year? In 2005 in the United States, these procedures were performed: Valve replacements 106,000 Bypass (cardiac revascularization) 469,000 Heart transplants (performed in 2006) 2,192 Total open-heart procedures 699,000.


From: American Heart Association

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