How safe/ successful is robotic assisted bypass for the heart vs regular cabg. ?

Big Maybe: In general, the gold standard for CABG is full sternotomy. In experienced hands, the robot can be used to take down the lima, and a small incision to do an off pump cabg> ask your surgeon how many he has done in the past year.

Generally safe: All surgery has risks even when done perfectly . Open CABG has become remarkably safe due to good tools, vision, pumps lighting etc. The minimally exposed - robotic procedures have a place but is still evolving for getting to vessels on the back of the heart if they are diseased. Some are advocating combinations hybrid with anterior robotic &posterior stenting but long term is not defined.