A current review of minimally invasive cardiac surgery

There has been a recent interest in the development of minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques. The complications of sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass are well recognised, and their role in cardiac surgical procedures is being re-examined as investigators aim to reduce the negative impact of cardiac surgery. This review is concerned with the developments in this rapidly expanding field and outlines the alternative techniques, risks and benefits of various types of minimally invasive cardiac surgery including coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral and aortic valve surgery and right-heart procedures. Changes in well-established techniques must be tempered by the surgical results from conventional procedures, and long-term comparative clinical trials are warranted.