Details.
A keyhole bypass technique used when one coronary artery needs to be bypassed, usually the left anterior descending artery. The surgeon accesses the heart through a small incision between the ribs, typically 6 to 10 cm long, and uses the left internal mammary artery as the bypass graft. Surgery is usually performed while the heart is beating, avoiding the need for a heart-lung machine. Patients often recover faster, with less pain and a lower risk of complications.