How Minimally Invasive Surgery is Different?

Minimally invasive heart surgery differs from conventional open-heart surgery in two major respects. Instead of making one long incision down the center of the chest and splitting open the sternum, the surgeon makes one or more smaller incisions that provide access to the heart. The surgeon may repair coronary artery disease while it is beating, which eliminates use of the heart-lung machine and risks associated with the heart-lung machine (e.g., stroke).

Advantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Generally speaking, both patients and their surgeons are reporting favorable results with minimally invasive heart surgery, because of:

• Shorter hospital stays
• Faster recovery time
• Smaller scars
• Lower risk of certain complications associated with conventional heart surgery

Only your doctor can determine whether these new and promising surgical procedures are right for you. And, in the case of any complications, the surgical team may revert to a conventional, open-heart procedure during surgery.

Learn more about Minimally Invasive Procedures, including Coronary Artery Bypass, Valve Repair, and Replacement Procedures.