Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery has emerged as a safe alternative to standard cardiac surgery. In its earlier phase, minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) required the adherence to a number of absolute and relative contraindications. The technique continues to evolve, and in addition to multi-vessel revascularization, bilaterally internal thoracic artery take down is currently feasible to allow for multi-arterial grafting. Evidence is emerging that minimally invasive CABG maintains equivocal safety profile to full sternotomy CABG, while providing superior morbidity profile and postoperative recovery. Further randomized controlled trials involving the comparison between minimally invasive CABG and percutaneous coronary intervention or conventional CABG would widen the applicability and utilization of the procedure. This chapter will review the literature that has been published over the past decade about minimally invasive CABG and the technical aspects of the procedure.