The success and long-term patency of a bypass depend heavily on the choice of the graft, or "conduit." These are healthy blood vessels harvested from other parts of the patient’s body.

• Internal Mammary Artery (IMA): Located inside the chest wall. The Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA) is the "gold standard" because it has a natural resistance to atherosclerosis and a 10-year patency rate of over 90%.

• Saphenous Vein: Harvested from the leg. These are versatile for multiple bypasses but are more prone to "vein graft failure" over time compared to arterial grafts.

• Radial Artery: Harvested from the non-dominant forearm. These are muscular arteries that require pharmacological management (calcium channel blockers) to prevent spasms post-operatively.