Advances in technology and continued research have allowed for the development and implementation of minimally invasive surgery techniques in the United States and abroad. According to the Center for Disease Control (2017) heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It is for this reason that research into these techniques is so important. As the popularity of minimally invasive surgeries increases, the amount of research establishing the safety and benefits will continue to grow. The future standard of cardiac surgery will be determined by this research.
Minimally invasive cardiac surgery encompasses a variety of different surgeries, techniques, and approaches including endovascular,