Minimally invasive procedures - direct and video-assisted forms in the treatment of heart diseases.

Background: Minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures have been progressively used in heart surgery.

Objective: To describe the techniques and immediate results of minimally invasive procedures in 5 years.

Methods: Prospective and descriptive study in which 102 patients were submitted to minimally invasive procedures in direct and video-assisted forms.

Vineberg's procedure modified technique: flow analysis, immediate postoperative results and angiographic evaluation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate angiographic results of patients subjected to a technique variation of Vineberg's procedure, as well as their morbidity and mortality in immediate postoperative period, and to analyze the flow of grafted left internal thoracic artery (LITA) at rest and under stress.

Methods: Between September 1999 and April 2002 eight patients were operated upon, with implant of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) in the intimal layer of the left ventricle (LV) muscle. After 6 months, they underwent angiographic and Doppler evaluation.