Myocardial enzyme release in totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting on the arrested heart

Robotically assisted coronary endarterectomy

Robotic assistance has enabled coronary artery bypass surgery to be performed safely in a completely endoscopic fashion, but diffusely diseased target vessels may pose a technical challenge. We present a case in which coronary endarterectomy was performed on the left anterior descending coronary artery during a two-vessel totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass procedure. A 52-year-old woman presented with intermittent substernal pain. Preoperative studies showed diffuse disease in the left coronary artery system. Bilateral internal mammary arteries were harvested robotically using a skeletonized technique in a completely endoscopic fashion. Cardiopulmonary bypass was achieved via peripheral cannulation, and the heart was arrested with intermittent cold antegrade hyperkalemic blood cardioplegia delivered via an ascending aortic occlusion balloon catheter. The first obtuse marginal anastomosis was performed. The left anterior descending coronary artery was diffusely diseased and heavily calcified. An end-to-side anastomosis was attempted to the right internal mammary artery with unsatisfactory results. A localized coronary endarterectomy was performed, and an extended anastomosis was completed using the right internal mammary artery. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged home on postoperative day 6. Diffuse coronary artery disease was once thought to be a prohibitive challenge for minimally invasive coronary bypass procedures. This case demonstrates that local coronary endarterectomy is feasible and safe in robotic totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass surgery.

Multivessel beating heart robotic myocardial revascularization increases morbidity and mortality

OBJECTIVE

The vast majority of reports describing beating heart robotic myocardial revascularization (total endoscopic coronary artery bypass) contain very small numbers of patients undergoing single-vessel bypass. We present a large series of patients undergoing multivessel total endoscopic coronary artery bypass.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective clinical review of 106 patients undergoing total endoscopic coronary artery bypass (72% multivessel) at 1 institution by 1 experienced cardiac surgeon/physician assistant team. These results were compared with the expected clinical outcomes from conventional coronary artery bypass grafting calculated using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk calculator.

RESULTS

Of the 106 patients, 1% underwent quadruple total endoscopic coronary artery bypass, 8% triple, 63% double, and 28% single. The emergent conversion rate for hemodynamic instability was 6.6%. The postoperative renal failure rate (doubling of baseline serum creatinine or dialysis required) was 7.5%. Overall, 23 patients (21.7%) exhibited at least 1 major morbidity/mortality (4 deaths). The number of vessels bypassed (single/double/triple/quadruple) correlated positively with the surgical/operating room time, the lung separation time, vasoactive medication use, blood use, a postoperative ventilation time longer than 24 hours, intensive care unit length of stay, and hospital length of stay. An increased surgical time was significantly associated with major morbidity (P = .011) and mortality (P = .043). A comparison with the Society for Thoracic Surgeons expected outcomes revealed a similar hospital length of stay but an increased incidence of prolonged ventilation (P = .003), renal failure (P < .001), morbidity (P = .045), and mortality (P = .049).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that addressing multivessel coronary artery disease using total endoscopic coronary artery bypass offers no obvious clinical benefits and might increase the morbidity and mortality.

Robotic totally endoscopic triple coronary artery bypass grafting on the arrested heart: report of the first successful clinical case

Robotic technology enables "port only" totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB). During early procedure development only single bypass grafts were feasible. Because current referral practice for coronary bypass surgery mostly includes multivessel disease, performance of multiple endoscopic bypass grafts is desirable. We report a case in which a patient received a right internal mammary artery bypass graft to the left anterior descending artery and a left internal mammary artery jump graft to 2 obtuse marginal branches. The procedure was performed through 5 ports on the arrested heart using the daVinci S robotic surgical system. This is the first reported triple bypass grafting procedure using an arrested heart approach.

Factors influencing blood transfusion requirements in robotic totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting on the arrested heart

OBJECTIVE

Robotic technology enables totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB) procedures. These operations can be performed on either the beating or arrested heart. One challenge of the latter version is a potentially increased need for blood transfusions. We investigated factors associated with transfusion requirements in totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass on the arrested heart (AH-TECAB).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 161 patients, 124 males and 37 females, aged 59 (31-77 years) years, with European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) 1 (0-7) underwent AH-TECAB using the daVinci telemanipulation system. The Heartport/Cardiovations™ or ESTECH-RAP™ systems were applied for remote access perfusion and aortic endoocclusion. In all cases, the operation was carried out in moderate hypothermia and cardiac arrest using cold crystalloid cardioplegia mixed with blood.

RESULTS

After 20 cases, the blood-transfusion rate dropped from 69% to 44%. The overall median number of transfusions was 1 (0-21). The following pre- and intra-operative factors showed a strong association with the application of packed red blood cells (PRBCs): preoperative haemoglobin level (p < 0.001), female gender (p < 0.001), shorter height (p < 0.001), lower weight (p < 0.001), long operative time (p < 0.001) and long cardiopulmonary bypass time (p = 0.001), intra-operative surgical problem (p < 0.001) and conversion to a larger thoracic incision (p < 0.001). Postoperatively, patients with longer ventilation time (p < 0.001) and those needing revision for bleeding (p < 0.001) also received significantly more PRBCs.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that multiple factors are associated with increased blood transfusion requirements in AH-TECAB. However, the transfusion rate can be reduced with experience. Identification of these factors may help in avoiding the application of blood products in the next generation of AH-TECAB procedures.

Effectiveness and safety of total endoscopic left internal mammary artery bypass graft to the left anterior descending artery

Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has become a feasible option using robotic technology and remote access perfusion techniques. The aim of this study was to determine the progression of the procedure's performance in the currently largest single-center series of arrested-heart totally endoscopic CABG. From 2001 to 2007, arrested-heart totally endoscopic CABG was performed in 100 patients (median age 59 years, range 46 to 70; 81 men, 19 women). All patients received left internal mammary artery grafts to the left anterior descending artery using the da Vinci Surgical System. Remote-access femoral perfusion and aortic balloon endo-occlusion were used in all patients. The series was divided into 4 phases: phase 1 (patients 1 to 25), phase 2 (patients 26 to 50), phase 3 (patients 51 to 75), and phase 4 (patients 76 to 100). The conversion rates to larger thoracic incisions were 7 of 25 (28%) in phase 1, 2 of 25 (8%) in phase 2, 1 of 25 (4%) in phase 3, and 1 of 25 (4%) in phase 4 (p = 0.018). Operative times and hospital stays decreased significantly with each subsequent phase, and clinical outcome showed corresponding improvements. There was no perioperative mortality. For the whole patient series, 5-year postoperative survival, freedom from angina, and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebral events were 100%, 91%, and 89%, respectively. In conclusion, after an initial steep learning curve, completely endoscopic left internal mammary artery-to-left anterior descending CABG can be performed safely, with low conversion rates. The learning curve for operative times and improvements in clinical outcome continued even at 100 procedures.