Harvesting ◾ 355
trend in the number of coronary artery bypass (CABG) procedures, which
started in 1996. In 1996, a revolutionary and disruptive technology made its
debut: coronary artery stents, implanted via a minimally invasive percutane-
ous procedure. There had been a dramatic drop in the rate of heart bypass
procedures performed in the U.S. over the last decade, even though more
hospitals were offering open-heart surgery.
15.8.2 Open Heart Procedures
Since its introduction in the mid-1960s, CABG had become the most fre-
quently performed surgical heart procedure. CABG performed miracles for
the millions of patients suffering from atherosclerotic coronary artery dis-
ease. However, CABG required opening the patient’s chest in a 4- to 6-h