Robotic-Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass on a Beating Heart: Initial Experience and Implications for the Future

Early results suggest robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting is a safe and effective means of myocardial revascularization and its continued clinical use is justified. Operative time has decreased with experience. Robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting performed through a small thoracotomy on a beating heart without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass may pave the way to a completely endoscopic, closed chest procedure for coronary artery bypass grafting.