Minimal Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (MICS CABG)
Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting offers numerous clinical advantages over conventional open-heart bypass surgery.
Surgical Approach: How it is Performed
In a minimally invasive bypass procedure, the surgeon gains access to the heart through an intercostal space (between the ribs) via a 7 cm incision made inferior to the patient’s left breast. This approach completely eliminates the need for an osteotomy (without cutting any bone).
Under direct visualization, the internal mammary artery is harvested. The bypass anastomosis is then executed directly on the beating heart, bypassing the lesion without arresting the heart or utilizing a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (off-pump surgery).
Post-Operative Recovery and Prognosis
- Conventional Bypass Surgery: Following traditional bypass surgery via median sternotomy, patients typically require a hospital length of stay of 6 to 7 days, and generally require 2 to 3 months to return to their professional occupations. A substantial portion of this protracted recovery timeline is dictated by the physiological healing and osseous union of the divided sternum (breastbone).
- Minimally Invasive Bypass Surgery: Conversely, following minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery, patients are routinely fit for discharge and ready to return home by the 4th post-operative day. Patients regain their functional independence and return to activities of daily living significantly faster, even being cleared to drive a motor vehicle shortly after discharge. They are typically capable of returning to full professional employment by the 3rd post-operative week.