A 47-year-old member asked:
Which incision is used in open heart surgery?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Louis Grenzeranswered
Cardiology 56 years experience
Depends: Traditionally, this involved an incision throught the length of the sternum(breastbone). Newer techniques can be used, robotic bypass surgery, which use several smaller incisions. The cost is about $8, 000 more but this also results in a shorter hospital stay, a quicker recovery, and perhaps better overall results.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 30 years experience
Midline sternotomy: A midline sternotomy is the most common incision used in heart surgery. There are a few variations on this incision that people claim are minimally invasive.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Sep 28, 2016
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