Radial Artery Harvesting
Rather than using the saphenous vein from the leg for bypass grafting, the radial artery from the arm is harvested and used. The radial artery resists the atherosclerotic process more than the saphenous vein. The arm suffers no ischemia with the removal of this artery because the blood supply to the hand is assessed preoperatively in selected patients.
Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB)
MIDCAB is bypass surgery that is done without stopping the heart and placing the patient on a heart/lung machine. The surgery is performed through a four inch incision. This procedure is applicable for single bypass grafts to the LAD.