Minimally Invasive Bypass Surgery

The same bypass, reached through a small incision between the ribs instead of by opening the breastbone. Because the sternum is left intact, the restrictions that dominate the first two months of a standard recovery largely do not apply.

What the operation involves

The surgeon works through an incision of roughly five to eight centimetres on the left side of the chest, usually on the beating heart. It suits patients with one or two vessels to graft. Not everyone is a candidate — the position of your arteries and your build both matter, and that is assessed from your angiogram beforehand.

Recovery and what to expect

Hospital stay is typically four to six days and most patients walk the day after surgery. Without a healing breastbone there is no six-week lifting restriction and driving usually resumes sooner. Pain between the ribs can be sharper in the first week than after a sternotomy, and is managed accordingly.

Before you agree to anything

Ask whether your anatomy genuinely suits this approach, and what the surgeon would do if they needed to convert to a standard bypass during the operation. A clear answer to the second question is a good sign.

What we arrange around it

A shorter stay than a standard bypass — usually around two and a half weeks including the review. We still plan for a companion.