How many bypasses?

With the Associated Press reporting this morning that Bill Clinton may have quadruple heart bypass surgery, the talk in our office is: How many bypasses can you have?

MayoClinic.com says the typical number is three to five. The "single," "double," "triple," "quadruple" refers to the number of grafts needed to bypass clogged arteries.

Here’s an interactive site that explains the procedure with an animated slide show.

AP later updated its story to say that Clinton’s surgery isn’t likely today. And the update left out any reference to "quadruple."