Abstract
This communication briefly details the goals, indications, surgical approaches, and limitations of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery. The clinical data of 93 cases performed at our institution were analyzed. These patients were divided into two groups: group A consisted of 70 healthy low-risk patients with single left anterior descending or right coronary artery lesions; group B consisted of 23 high-risk patients who had major contraindications to conventional cardiopulmonary bypass procedures. Using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons' preoperative predicted risk module, group A had a 1% predicted mortality versus 5% in group B. The 30-day mortality was 1% in group A and 13% in group B. The postoperative length of hospital stay averaged 4 days for group A and 9 days for group B. Short-term follow-up is promising and 83% of patients are free of angina.
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