Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass in the era of percutaneous coronary intervention

90-Day Patient-Centered Outcomes after Totally Endoscopic Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study

Over the past years, minimally invasive procedures have been developed to reduce surgical trauma after cardiac surgery. The value of patient-centered outcomes, including the quality of recovery after hospital discharge, is increasingly recognized. Identifying meaningful changes in postoperative function that might have a negative impact on patients without noticeable complications can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact on the patient’s life. In total, 209 patients were included in this trial. Of these, 193 patients underwent totally endoscopic cardiac surgery, 8 underwent cardiac surgery through a sternotomy, and 8 underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Patients who previously underwent cardiac surgery were excluded. Quality of life was determined through the Short Form 36 and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions questionnaires before the surgery and 14, 30, and 90 days afterward. In patients who underwent totally endoscopic cardiac surgery, the quality of life improved over the three time periods. The different domains of the questionnaire evolved in a positive manner. However, 14 days postoperatively, a decline in quality of life was noted, followed by a return to baseline at 30 days and an increase at 90 days. In conclusion, totally endoscopic cardiac surgery improves the quality of life 90 days after surgery.

A new viewpoint on endoscopic CABG: technique description and clinical experience

BACKGROUND

The aim of this paper is to describe a newly developed endoscopic coronary artery bypass graft (Endo-CABG) technique to treat patients with single- and multi-vessel disease and discuss the short-term clinical results in a large patient cohort. This technique avoids a median sternotomy by combining a thoracoscopic technique via three ∼5 mm thoracic ports and a mini-thoracotomy utility 3-4 cm port through the intercostal space.

METHODS

From January 2016 to January 2018, data from consecutive patients undergoing an elective Endo-CABG were prospectively entered into a customized database and retrospectively reviewed. Patients scheduled for a combined hybrid intervention were excluded. Conversion rate to sternotomy, incidence of surgical revision and postoperative graft failure, one-month survival, morbidity, and length of stay (LOS) were investigated. Subgroup analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 342 patients undergoing an Endo-CABG with one (n = 53) or multiple (n = 289) bypasses were included. No conversion to sternotomy occurred and incidence of surgical revision, graft failure, and 30-day mortality was 7.3%, 1.5%, and 1.8%, respectively. Adverse neurological outcomes were rare: cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, epilepsy, and postoperative delirium were observed in 0.6%, 0.3%, 0.3%, and 5.3% of patients, respectively. Median intensive care unit and hospital LOS were 2.75 (IQR 1.8 to 3.8) and 8.0 days (IQR 7.0 to 10.0), respectively. Thirty-day mortality in obese patients, diabetics, and octogenarians was 0%, 3.6%, and 5.6%, respectively. EuroSCORE II > 5% was associated with a high 30-day mortality (25%).

CONCLUSIONS

Endo-CABG can be considered a safe and effective procedure to treat single- and multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Individual patient selection seems not necessary to apply this technique.

Clinical Effect and Prognosis of Off-Pump Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass

Background

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a common procedure to circumvent the obstruction of coronary arteries when stents are unsuitable. CABG is a very traumatic surgery that requires redirecting blood flow to an external pump. Thus, this procedure has many risks during and after surgery, and minimizing these risks would greatly benefit the patients.

Material/Methods

We selected 126 patients with coronary artery syndrome and who were unsuitable for stent percutaneous coronary intervention. The observation group received minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB), while the control group was treated with off-pump CABG.

Results

Blood markers and echocardiography before and after treatment improved equally in both groups. Neither group exhibited obvious adverse reactions, or liver and kidney function damage. However, surgical bleeding and postoperative observation days were significantly reduced in the MIDCAB group. Death and cardiac shock at the end of follow-up were significantly lower in the MIDCAB group.

Conclusions

Overall, the clinical benefits of MIDCAB and OP-CABG were similar, but MIDCAB significantly reduced postoperative hospital stay and intraoperative blood transfusion, and improved clinical prognosis.