Vineberg Operation: A Review of the Birth and Impact of This Surgical Technique

The Vineberg operation was introduced by Arthur Vineberg in the early 1940s as an experimental model for revascularization of ischemic cardiac tissue in animal models with direct implantation of left internal mammary artery into ventricular myocardium. The first attempt in a human was performed in 1950, followed by 10,000 to 15,000 Vineberg operations completed in the 1950s and 1960s until the birth of coronary artery bypass grafting. We report a historical perspective, birth and impact of this surgical technique, and possible implications for the future of cardiology and cardiac surgery.