Carotid endarterectomy (ka-ROT-id END-ar-ter-EK-to-me), or CEA, is surgery to remove plaque (plak) from the carotid arteries. These are the two large arteries on each side of your neck. They supply oxygen-rich blood to your brain. CEA is used to prevent stroke, or “brain attack,” in people who have carotid artery disease. Carotid artery disease... »

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery that improves blood flow to the heart. It’s used for people who have severe coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease. CHD is a condition in which a substance called plaque (plak) builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich... »

Heart surgery is done to correct problems with the heart. More than half a million heart surgeries are done each year in the United States for a variety of heart problems. Heart surgery is used to correct heart problems in children and adults. This article discusses heart surgeries for adults. For more information about... »

Have you been told by your doctor that you need surgery? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of older Americans have surgery each year. For most surgeries, you will have time to find out about the operation, talk about other treatments with your surgeon (medical doctor who does the operation), and decide what to... »

Take this list of questions with you when you go to your doctor or surgeon to discuss your surgery: What operation are you recommending? Why do I need the operation? Are there alternatives to surgery? What are the benefits of having the operation? What are the risks of having the operation? What if I... »

Ambulatory surgery, or outpatient surgery, is a planned surgical episode where the patient requires less than a 24-hour hospital stay. The use of ambulatory surgery as an alternative to inpatient surgery has become more common, and outpatient surgeries account for a growing proportion of surgeries performed in hospitals. In 2002, outpatient surgeries accounted for... »