Background: Recent trends suggest that minimally invasive cardiac surgery reduces postoperative morbidity and offers a cosmetic benefit. This study was performed to evaluate the CPB time, ACC time, OP time, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay following a lower partial sternotomy and those of the median sternotomy. Material and Method: A group of 26 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through lower partial sternotomy from August 1997 to July 1999(A group) were compared to 45 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through median sternotomy from January 1996 to July 1997(B group). The mean ages(46.4$pm$14.6 years, A group and 46.8$pm$13.2 years, B group) were similar. Operations were performed with central cannula and antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia. Result: There was no death in each group. No differences were found in CPB time, ACC time, OP time, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay. Postoperative complications were sternal splitting in a patient in group A and a patient with bleeding that required reoperation and a patient with delayed wound closure in group B. Conclusion: The lower partial sternotomy offered a cosmetic benefit, but does not significantly reduced the length of operative time and hospital stay. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery will be applied increasing because of the suggested advantage and choosing a proper operative technique will be helpful.