Cardiac Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery

Is CABG considered “open heart” surgery? If so, why?

Yes. You have to open up the chest in order to do the grafts.

Angioplasty is not. It is considered a less-invasive cardiac procedure, because aside from a cut in the femoral artery (in the thigh) through which to snake catheters, guide wires, and various other devices, no opening is made.

I knew that binder I got at my (medical) company training would come in handy.

There is a method called keyhole CABG being used in a few places which avoids the sternum being split and the whole chest opened up but it is limited to certain types of patients.

I always thought that open heart surgery referred to the heart being opened, not the chest.