MIDCAB

MIDCAB

Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass. Heart surgery in which coronary bypass (usually with a single graft) is performed on a blood-filled beating heart, without a heart-lung machine, via a small incision in the chest wall.

Pros
Incisions are smaller, sternum is not opened, recuperation period shorter, overall cost lower.
 
Cons
Less than half of CABG patients are candidates for MIDCAB.

MIDCAB

Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass Cardiology Minimally invasive heart surgery in which coronary bypass–usually with a single graft is performed on a blood-filled beating heart without a heart-lung machine via a small incision in the chest wall. See Minimally invasive cardiac surgery, OPCAB. Cf CABG, Transmyocardial revascularization.

MIDCAB

(mid′kab″) [Acronym for m(inimally) i(nvasive) d(irect) c(oronary) a(rtery) b(ypass)]

An alternative to coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) performed via a sternotomy. In conventional CABG, the aorta is cannulated, the heart is chilled, and the patient's blood is routed through a perfusion pump that oxygenates the blood outside the body and then recirculates it to the patient. In MIDCAB by contrast, a small incision is made between the ribs (instead of dividing the sternum), and only those arteries easily accessible on the anterior of the heart, e.g., the left anterior descending artery, are bypassed. Because of the smaller incision made in this procedure, it is sometimes referred to as cardiackeyhole surgery.