Minimally invasive cardiac surgery-coronary artery bypass graft

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is among the most common operations performed in the world. Different surgical strategies can be used with different invasiveness. This paper describes a recent development of the technique that merges the advantages resulting from both the adoption of an 'off-pump no-touch aorta operation' and a 'complete arterial revascularization through a left minithoracotomy' in a single procedure. This operation is currently known with the acronym MICS (minimally invasive cardiac surgery)-CABG (minimally invasive cardiac surgery). It is an off-pump operation performed through a minithoracotomy in the fourth or fifth left intercostal space across the midclavicular line. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) is harvested under direct vision using a special rib-retractor with multiple interchangeable thoracotomy blades, including blades to use with lift systems for proximal artery harvesting, while the right radial artery (RA) is harvested endoscopically. A Y-connection is made between the two arteries. The LITA is used to bypass the left anterior descending coronary artery, while the right RA is used on the obtuse marginal branches and/or the posterior descending coronary artery. A special coronary stabilizer and a heart positioner with a shaft for remote thoracic insertion are needed.