Multiple minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting for the complete revascularization of the left ventricle

Background. Single-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting of the left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery using a minithoracotomy has been shown to produce excellent results with a very low mortality rate. However, this procedure cannot be used in patients with double- or triple-vessel disease. Our goal was to develop a minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass for total revascularization of the left ventricle using multiple arterial grafts. Methods. Limited lateral thoracotomy was performed in the fourth or fifth intercostal spaces, exposing the left anterior descending coronary artery and left circumflex coronary artery. Two or three arterial grafts were harvested. Revascularization of the left anterior descending coronary artery and the left circumflex coronary artery were performed in 20 patients without cardiopulmonary bypass through the limited lateral thoracotomy using complex performed arterial grafts. In 4 patients, triple- and quadruple-vessel grafting was performed. Results. The mean coronary cross-clamp time was 14.5 +/- 4.0 minutes for the left anterior descending coronary artery and 16.8 +/- 5.1 minutes for the left circumflex coronary artery. No early deaths or postoperative complications occurred. There were no late deaths or angina during the mean follow-up of 7.0 months (range, 2 to 22 months). Postoperative coronary angiography demonstrated widely patent grafts in all patients. Conclusions. Minimally invasive approach through a limited thoracotomy in multiple coronary artery bypass graftings are technically feasible and may be an alternative approach in the complete revascularization of the left ventricle, Mechanical immobilization of the coronary artery enhances early graft patency and is an essential part of this procedure. (C) 1999 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.