Dr. Sedillo pointed out that in addition to blocked arteries, primary use of the new technology is for patients with heart valve problems. "When a valve has narrowed we can use a volvuaplasty balloon to open the valve. We get better blood flow through valve." Frequently such a procedure is the only option for a patient who is too high risk for conventional surgery.

The mitral valve is the most commonly repaired valve, but the aortic, pulmonic and tricuspid valves may also undergo similar repair techniques, or even replacement.

What is it that enabled the introduction of minimally invasive heart surgery? Dr. Sedillo said it was the development of better technology, better equipment, and instruments designed to fit the small openings."

Dr. Sedillo cautioned that not all patients are right for minimally invasive surgery. "The anatomy of the patient has to be right for it." Despite what you hear, minimally invasive doesn't always mean better

For a surgeon there are three goals to every operation: to fix the problem, to do it safely, and to do it with the least trauma possible. If any of these goals were to be sacrificed, it would be the third in order to achieve the first two.

The various types of heart surgeries performed today are often referred to by their initials, including CABG, which is the conventional open-heart surgery procedure, and MIDCAB, OPCAR and PACAB, all considered minimally invasive procedures.

During a conventional Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) blood flow is rerouted through a new artery or vein that is grafted around diseased sections of coronary arteries to increase blood flow to the heart muscle tissue. This bypass typically requires open-chest surgery and the use of a heart-lung bypass machine to circulate the blood and add .oxygen.

Known as "MIDCAB" surgery, the Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Bypass procedure is for patients with blockage or blockages in the arteries on the front of the heart. It allows the surgeon to perform bypass surgery without splitting the breastbone. A cut is made on the patient's left chest to expose the heart, but, unlike conventional open-heart surgery, it is much smaller. A heart-lung machine is .not required.

For an Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass, known as "OPCAB," the surgeon must open the chest and split the breastbone. A heart-lung machine however is not used. An artery or vein is taken from the patient's leg and used to make the bypass. Compared with patients undergoing conventional heart bypass surgery, OPCAB patients require fewer blood transfusions, may have a decreased risk of stroke, and have a shorter stay in the hospital after surgery.

Port-Access coronary artery bypass (PACAB) makes use of the heart-lung machine but, instead of cutting through the sternum and other bone and chest muscle, the surgeon makes small incisions in the chest and chest arteries or veins from the leg are attached to the heart to bypass the clogged coronary artery or arteries.

Minimally invasive heart surgery can also be used for epicardial lead placement in which leads are placed in the heart for cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Patients who have one of these procedures instead of open-heart surgery have a lower risk of complications associated with the heart-lung machine such as stroke, lung problems, kidney problems and problems with mental clarity and memory. In addition to reduced complications, other benefits include a smaller incision, a smaller scar, reduced risk of infection, less bleeding, less pain and trauma and faster recovery and reduced hospital costs.