LAUSR

Purpose of review Perioperative stroke remains one of the most dreaded complications following coronary artery bypass grafting. In this review, we highlight the significant advances in understanding and preventing stroke in patients undergoing bypass surgery and offer our center's current best-practice recommendations to help avoid this debilitating outcome. Recent findings The incidence of stroke has significantly reduced since the advent of coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Improvements in our understanding of the cause, mechanisms, risk factors, and diagnosis of stroke as well as refinements in medical optimization, surgical technique, and perioperative care all have contributed to making coronary artery bypass grafting safer even as patients have become increasingly complex. Summary The field of cardiothoracic surgery endures in its quest to eliminate the risk of perioperative stroke. By incorporating the lessons of the past into our innovations of the future, cardiac surgeons will continue to strive for safer coronary artery bypass grafting and afford patients to not only live longer but better as well.