Also known as Key hole surgery or Limited Access Coronary Artery Surgery and includes Port-Access Coronary Artery Bypass (PACAB or Port CAB) and Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MIDCAB)
An alternative to standard bypass surgery (CABG). Small incisions ("ports") are made in the chest. Chest arteries or veins from your leg are attached to the heart to "bypass" the clogged coronary artery or arteries. The instruments are passed through the ports to perform the bypasses. It's done while the heart is still beating. Requires few days in the hospital, takes less time in recovery comparing to standard bypass Surgery (CABG).
One of the most significant developments in surgery over the past few decades has been a shift towards minimally invasive (MI) procedures. This change in methodology has been driven by the associated reduction in trauma to the patient from smaller incisions, which results in shorter hospital stays and reduced recovery times. One major obstacle of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is the lack of visibility to the area being operated on. While imaging scopes are continually improving, none have been able to offer angiographic image functionality along with high definition white light until now. The PINPOINT Endoscopic Fluorescence Imaging System may be used similarly to other endoscopes commonly used in laproscopic surgeries performed today. In addition to providing the typical images obtained through a conventional endoscope, PINPOINT enables surgeons performing minimally invasive procedures to visualize blood flow in vessels and tissue perfusion in real-time while in the operating room.
PINPOINT also offers surgeons the unique ability to view images in an "overlay" mode, which displays a combined visible and fluorescence image. The overlay mode allows surgeons to clearly visualize both anatomical structures and physiologic information in a single image - which has been described as the best of both worlds. The overlay mode can act as a surgical map allowing the surgeon to clearly identify leaks while still remaining keenly aware of anatomical orientation. By providing clinically relevant anatomic and physiologic information simultaneously and in real-time, PINPOINT can equip surgeons performing MIS procedures with the information they need to make critical decisions in the operating room. PINPOINT can increase surgeon confidence in performing MIS surgeries and its use has been associated with lower rates of potentially costly post-operative complications.
