Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass

A minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) may be performed to restore proper blood flow and heart function in patients with coronary heart disease. This surgery is performed while the heart is still beating (“off-pump”), with the surgeon gaining access to the heart and blocked arteries via a small incision and specially designed surgical instruments in a mini-thoracotomy. A heart-lung machine is not required. Patients who undergo minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass usually do so after having experienced a heart attack, though the procedure is also performed as a preventive measure when a significant arterial blockage is diagnosed.