Abstract:

A trend towards less invasive operations has affected the surgical specialties for the past 10 years. Cardiac surgery had been the slowest subspeciaIty to move in this direction, but in 1995 enthusiasm for "minimally invasive" cardiac operations began to grow. Since the initial report by Acuff published in 1996, minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery has developed and undergone a tremendous evolution resulting in the now mature minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) operation, as well as the still evolving off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) procedure. The success of MIDCAB has led surgeons to look at past procedures to help develop future multivessel coronary operations.

Authors:

Joseph Elbeery, M.D., F.A.C.S., W. Randolph Chitwood, Jr., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.C.

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