In contrast to open heart surgery, closed heart surgery does not require the surgeon to stop the heart or make use of the heart-lung bypass machine while the operation is being done. However, like open heart surgery, a closed heart surgery also needs to open the chest.

Closed heart surgery procedure involves entry to the chest from the side (thoracotomy) or from the front (sternotomy). Unlike open heart surgery, closed heart surgery mostly deals with arteries that carry blood, instead of the heart chambers.

A closed heart surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. As for closed heart surgery recovery procedure, careful monitoring is done and medications are given intravenously so as to control pain. Besides, the recovery time post surgery is much shorter than open heart surgery.