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Minimally invasive surgery was most commonly directed towards cardiac surgery. An estimated 300,000 worldwide by 1998.
The minimally invasive cardiac surgery options in early revascularization surgeries have been:
- Off-pump CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft)
- Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB)
- Endoscopic CABG
For patients with chronic heart failure, minimally invasive surgery options are not possible. The implantation of a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), as invasive as it is, is still less than the alternative of a complete cardiac transplant. [7]
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