And implanting the device no longer requires chest surgery.

A history of prior chest surgery may complicate the procedure and require additional time.

In 1981, he had chest surgery to remove a bullet from his lung.

The system includes electric connections through the veins, avoiding the need for chest surgery.

Thanks to the "chest surgery," Luke said, "my quality of life is better."

But Luke said he isn't worried that his chest surgery may be irreversible.

I explained that the hospital didn't look like it was equipped for what would have been open chest surgery.

Sometimes the testing included chest surgery, which itself carries a 4 percent risk of death.

The executive also underwent exploratory chest surgery in 1990 and earlier this year.

The lack of effective drugs brings doctors back to the era before antibiotics, when the limited treatment measures included chest surgery.