Hybrid approach for coronary artery revascularization: where do we stand?

Perioperative Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Management in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Review of the Literature Merging Guidelines and Interventions

Liver transplantation (LT) is the second most performed solid organ transplant. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a critical consideration for LT candidacy, particularly in patients with known CAD or risk factors, including metabolic dysfunction associated with steatotic liver disease. The presence of severe CAD may exclude patients from LT; therefore, precise preoperative evaluation and interventions are necessary to achieve transplant candidacy. Cardiovascular complications represent the earliest nongraft-related cause of death post-transplantation. Timely intervention to reduce cardiovascular events depends on adequate CAD screening. Coronary disease screening in end-stage liver disease is challenging because standard noninvasive CAD screening tests have low sensitivity due to hyperdynamic state and vasodilatation. As a result, there is overuse of invasive coronary angiography to exclude severe CAD. Coronary artery calcium scoring using a computed tomography scan is a tool for the prediction of cardiovascular events, and can be used to achieve risk stratification in LT candidates. Recent literature shows that qualitative assessment on both noncontrast- and contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography can be used instead of calcium score to assess the presence of coronary calcium. With increasing prevalence, protocols to address CAD in LT candidates must be reconsidered. Percutaneous coronary intervention could allow a shorter duration of dual-antiplatelet therapy in simple lesions, with safer perioperative outcomes. Hybrid coronary revascularization is an option for high-risk LT candidates with multivessel disease nonamenable to percutaneous coronary intervention. The objective of this review is to evaluate existing methods for preoperative cardiovascular risk stratification, and to describe interventions before surgery to optimize patient outcomes and reduce cardiovascular event risk.

Revascularization strategies in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease: a Bayesian network meta-analysis

Treatment modalities for multivessel disease have rapidly evolved, yet the preferred strategy remains controversial. This meta-analysis compared outcomes after on-pump (ONCAB), off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or hybrid coronary revascularization. A comprehensive search for observational studies and randomized controlled trials published by August 2020 was performed. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted for early (<30 days) and late (>12 months) outcomes. A total of 119 studies were included (n = 700 458 patients). The main analysis was confined to 31 randomized controlled trials (n = 24 932 patients). PCI was associated with lower early mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.79] and stroke (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.60) rates compared with ONCAB, whereas a reduced risk of early myocardial infarction was observed with OPCAB compared with ONCAB (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32-0.83). Late target vessel revascularization and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were both increased with PCI compared with ONCAB, OPCAB and hybrid coronary revascularization (by 127-203% and 59-64%, respectively), and late major adverse cardiac events were increased in PCI compared with ONCAB and OPCAB (by 64% and 59%). However, PCI was associated with a significantly lower risk of late stroke compared with ONCAB (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.89). Sensitivity analyses (i) including observational studies and (ii) limiting to studies with recent cohorts confirmed the findings of the main analysis. Surgical approaches for revascularization remain superior to PCI in patients with multivessel disease. Hybrid coronary revascularization might be viable for some patients, although more evidence from randomized controlled trials is warranted.

Minimally Invasive Coronary Revascularisation Surgery: A Focused Review of the Available Literature

Minimally invasive coronary revascularisation was originally developed in the mid 1990s as minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) grafting is a less invasive approach compared to conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to address targets in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Since then, MIDCAB has evolved with the adoption of a robotic platform and the possibility to perform multivessel bypass procedures. Minimally invasive coronary revascularisation surgery also allows for a combination between the benefits of CABG and percutaneous coronary interventions for non-LAD lesions – a hybrid approach. Hybrid coronary revascularisation results in fewer blood transfusions, shorter hospital stay, decreased ventilation times and patients return to work sooner when compared to conventional CABG. This article reviews the available literature, describes standard approaches and considers topics, such as limited access procedures, indications and patient selection, diagnostics and imaging, techniques, anastomotic devices, hybrid coronary revascularisation and outcome analysis.

Heart team 2.0: A decision tree for minimally invasive and hybrid myocardial revascularization

Recent years have seen an important shift in the target population for myocardial revascularization. Patients are increasingly presenting with more complex coronary artery disease (CAD), but also with multiple comorbidities and frailty. At the same time, minimally invasive strategies such as Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (MIDCAB) and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) have been developed, which might be more appealing for this group of patients. As a result, the landscape of options for myocardial revascularization is evolving while adequate use of all resources is required to ensure optimal patient care. Heart Teams are confronted with the challenge of incorporating the new minimally invasive strategies into the decision process, yet current guidelines do not fully address this challenge. In this review, the current evidence regarding outcomes, indications, benefits, and risks of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB), MIDCAB, PCI, and hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) are discussed. Based on this evidence and on experiences from Heart Team discussions, a new decision tree is proposed that incorporates recent advances in minimally invasive revascularization strategies, thereby optimizing adequate delivery of care for each individual patient's needs. Introducing all important considerations in a logical way, this tool facilitates the decision-making process and might ensure appropriate use of resources and optimal care for individual patients.

Hybrid Revascularization: A Review

Hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) combines surgical bypass with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed either during the same procedure or in a staged approach within 60 days. Coronary artery bypass grafting using the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) has shown excellent long-term patency with improved patient survival. It remains the gold standard treatment for the majority of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. However, saphenous vein grafts have poor long-term patency. Advances in stent technology have resulted in reduced rates of thrombosis and restenosis, making PCI a viable alternative to coronary surgery in selected patients. HCR is attractive as a less invasive method of coronary revascularization which preserves the benefits of the LIMA performed with less invasive surgical techniques with the efficacy of newer generation stents.

Contemporary use of arterial and venous conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting: anatomical, functional and clinical aspects

Although the benefits of using the left internal mammary artery to bypass the left anterior descending artery (LAD) have been extensively ascertained, freedom from major cardiovascular events and survival after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) also correlate with the completeness of revascularisation. Hence, careful selection of the second-best graft conduit is crucial for CABG success. The more widespread use of saphenous vein grafts contrasts with the well-known long-term efficacy of multiple arterial grafting, which struggles to emerge as the procedure of choice due to concerns over increased technical difficulties and higher risk of postoperative complications. Conduit choice is at the discretion of the operator instead of being discussed by the heart team, where cardiologists are not usually engaged in such decisions due to a hypothetical lack of technical knowledge. Furthermore, according to the ESC/EACTS guidelines, traditional CABG remains the gold standard for multi-vessel coronary artery disease with complex LAD stenosis, but hybrid procedures using percutaneous coronary intervention for non-LAD targets could combine the best of two worlds. With the aim of raising the cardiologist's awareness of the surgical treatment options, we provide a comprehensive overview of the anatomical, functional and clinical aspects guiding the decision-making process in CABG strategy.