Cardiology and Healthcare

Recognition of the significant advantages of minimizing surgical approach has resulted in a substantial increase in the

number of minimally invasive cardiac surgical procedures being performed. Synchronously, technological advances in

optics, instrumentation and perfusion technology have facilitated its adoption rate. This technology has been applied to many cardiac surgical procedures mitral valve repair, aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting in 1 or 2-vessel disease patients. Meta-analyses and propensity matched comparisons have demonstrated the non-inferiority of minimally invasive cardiac surgery in low or intermediate risk patients. However, in advanced cardiac disease, these new surgical standards are not less invasive enough to reduce the cardiac risk of the procedure or the negative impact of the comorbidity factors, and it has opened the way of transcatheter techniques. The place of each option is presented and discussed.