Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting using a bilateral internal mammary artery Y graft

Objective To evaluate the outcome of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting （OPCABG） using a bilateral internal mammary artery （BIMA） Y configuration graft to achieve total arterial myocardial revascularization. Methods From October 2002 to December 2008, 208 patients （196 males and 12 females） underwent OPCABG using a BIMA Y configuration graft. The average age of the patients was 56.5 ± 11.3 years, with an age range of 33-78 years. A total of 167 （80.2%） cases had triple-vessel disease. Left main stem disease was found in 33 （15.9%） cases, and double-vessel disease was found in 8 （3.9%） cases. The semi-skeletonization technique was used to harvest the two internal mammary arteries （IMAs）, and then the free right internal mammary artery was connected end-to-side to the left internal mammary artery （LIMA） in situ to complete the Y configuration graft. Off-pump and sequential anastomosis methods were used to perform coronary artery bypass surgery in all patients. Graft patency was assessed intm-operatively with the HT311 transit time flowmeter. Results A total of 728 distal anastomoses were performed in 208 patients, with the average being 3.5± 1.3 per person. No one died or experienced recurrent angina within 30 days after the operation. Conclusions OPCABG using the BIMA Y graft was safe and effective to achieve total arterial revascularization. This method avoids surgical operation on the ascending aorta and other incisions.

Bilateral vs unilateral internal mammary revascularization in patients with left ventricular dysfunction

AIM To investigate the survival benefit of bilateral internal mammary artery(BIMA) grafts in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.METHODS Between 1996 and 2009,we performed elective,isolated,primary,multiple cardiac arterial bypass grafting in 430 consecutive patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%. The early and long-term results were compared between 167 patients undergoing BIMA grafting and 263 patients using left internal mammary artery(LIMA)-saphenous venous grafting(SVG).RESULTS The mean age of the overall population was 60.1 ± 15 years. In-hospital mortality was not different between the two groups(7.8% vs 10.3%,P = 0.49). Early postoperative morbidity included myocardial infarction(4.2% vs 3.8%,P = 0.80),stroke(1.2% vs 3.8%,P = 0.14),and mediastinitis(5.3% vs 2.3%,P = 0.11). At 8-year follow-up,Kaplan-Meier-estimated survival(74.2% vs 58.9%,P = 0.02) and Kaplan-Meier-estimated event-free survival(all cause deaths,myocardial infarction,stroke,target vessel revascularization,heart failure)(61.7% and 41.1%,P < 0.01) were significantly higher in the BIMA group compared with the LIMA-SVG group in univariate analysis. The propensity score matching analysis confirmed that BIMA grafting is a safe revascularization procedure but there was no long term survival(P = 0.40) and event-free survival(P = 0.13) in comparison with LIMA-SVG use.CONCLUSION Our longitudinal analysis suggests that BIMA grafting can be performed with acceptable perioperative mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Prevention of Sternal Dehiscence Following Use of Bilateral Internal Mammary Arteries in OPCAB

Purpose: We harvested bilateral Internal Mammary Arteries and made LIMA-RIMA Y in all the patients undergoing OPCAB at our center irrespective of the presence or absence of various risk factors for sternal dehiscence. The purpose of this study was to find an effective way of sternal closure in patients undergoing OPCAB with both the Internal Mammary Arteries harvested for grafting. Method: The patients who did not have any risk factors were placed in group I and all of them had a standard six wire closure of sternotomy. The patients having any risk factors were placed in group II. The patients in group II were randomized by including every alternate patient from group II to subgroup II A and every other alternate patient from group II to subgroup II B. Patients in subgroup II A again had a standard closure of sternotomy while in patients of subgroup II B bilateral Robiscek repair and four-five interlocking figure of eight wires were used for closure of sternotomy. Results: The patients who had risk factors for sternal dehiscence had higher risk for sternal dehiscence as compared to patients without any risk factors if bilateral Internal Mammary Arteries were harvested for OPCAB. But if we used bilateral Robiscek repair with four to five interlocking figure of eight wires for sternal closure then the rate of sternal complications in the patients with risk factors for sternal dehiscence was not more than the patients without risk factors. Conclusion: We can harvest bilateral Internal Mammary Arteries for OPCAB without fear of sternal complications even in patients with high risk for sternal dehiscence if we use bilateral Robiscek repair with four to five interlocking figure of eight wires for sternal closure.

Minimally Invasive Total Arterial Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Left Main Stem Disease

Objective: The aim was to show that Minimally Invasive total arterial revascularization for left main stem coronary artery disease, via a left anterior Mini thoracotomy using bilateral internal thoracic arteries is feasible, reproducible and safe. Further, there has been no exclusive data or experience with minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting in left main stem disease. Methods: From April 2019 to March 2024, 41 patients with left main stem stenosis, left main equivalent disease and unprotected left main with triple vessel disease underwent off pump minimally invasive multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting using either in situ pedicled Bilateral Internal Thoracic arteries or Left and Right Internal Thoracic artery Y composite conduits at three centers. Bilateral Internal Thoracic arteries were harvested under direct vision. All patients had an Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump inserted via the femoral artery prior to induction of anesthesia, to prevent any hemodynamic instability, arrhythmias, and was removed following completion of the procedure in the operating room without any complications. Efficacy and outcomes were evaluated by i) Primary (MACCE)-Major Adverse Cardiac and Cardiovascular events and ii) Secondary outcome measures including total length of stay, return to full physical activity and quality of life. Mean follow-up was 1.4 years (Maximum was 2.5 years). Results: 41 patients with left main stem coronary artery stenosis, underwent total arterial revascularization using bilateral internal thoracic arteries. Left main stem stenosis was present in 29 patients, Unprotected left main stem stenosis with triple vessel disease in 7 and left main equivalence in 5 patients. In this cohort, 29 patients with only left main stem stenosis had 2 grafts each, 7 patients with left main and triple vessel disease had 3 grafts and 5 patients with left main equivalent disease had 2 grafts respectively. The average number of grafts was 2.2. One patient was converted to open sternotomy as an emergency because of hemodynamic instability and myocardial revascularization was done on cardiopulmonary bypass (2.2%). The average hospital stay was 3.7 days. Ejection fraction was 45% ± 5%. There was one mortality (2.2%) but no major morbidity. The average ICU and hospital stay was 24 ± 4 hours and 3.7 days. All patients were free from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at follow-up. Conclusions: Multivessel total arterial revascularization using left and right internal thoracic arteries, was performed via a left anterior Mini thoracotomy on patients with left main stem disease and showed that it was safe, reproducible and will help extend the armamentarium of the surgeon in minimally invasive Coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitantly it helped enhance the potential for shorter hospital stay, increased survival, decreased morbidity, and earlier return to full activity. Furthermore, the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting in this high-risk group evaluated by primary and secondary outcome measures have been good in this study.