Early and long-term outcomes of less invasive approaches to coronary artery bypass surgery

This review outlines the development of less invasive treatments for coronary artery disease, focusing primarily on minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICS CABG). We compare conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and MICS CABG indications and contraindications, surgical techniques, early and long-term outcomes, and the process of implementation of MICS CABG to cardiac surgery programs. The invasiveness of cardiopulmonary bypass and the sternotomy incision used in conventional CABG are appreciably mitigated by the MICS CABG procedure, which is generally performed off-pump and through a left mini-thoracotomy. In the literature, MICS CABG is a feasible alternative to sternotomy CABG with safe, reproducible, efficient, and durable outcomes.