Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention, NHLBI

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Developed VECTOR technique and tested in animal models

For nearly six decades, coronary artery bypass surgery has required cracking open the chest—a procedure performed more than 300,000 times annually in the United States alone. In May 2025, a team at Emory University and the National Institutes of Health performed the first human coronary bypass through blood vessels in the leg, leaving the chest intact. The 67-year-old patient, who had no other surgical options, showed no complications at six-month follow-up.

Updated May 26