Date: February 1998
Definition:
Undergoing from medical necessity: surgery (including keyhole type surgery) to repair the heart wall damaged by coronary artery disease, open heart surgery to repair or replace an abnormal heart valve, keyhole type surgery to replace an abnormal heart valve, open heart surgery to correct narrowing or blockage of one or more coronary arteries with bypass grafts, surgery (including keyhole type surgery) for treating a disease or injury to the aorta needing excision and surgical replacement of a part of the aorta with a graft. For the purpose of this definition the aorta means the thoracic and abdominal aorta but not its branches.