Nursing care of patients undergoing thoracoscopic minimally invasive bypass grafting

Recent efforts in cardiac surgery to decrease cost, length of hospitalization, and morbidity without compromising care or outcomes include a method of treatment of coronary heart disease called minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting. This article describes the use of thoracoscopy without sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass, or cardioplegic arrest for grafting of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery with the left internal mammary artery. Preliminary information supports the concept that thoracoscopic minimally invasive bypass grafting is a less costly and less invasive procedure for patients with disease of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery.