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.