How safe is the port access technique in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting?

Selami Dogan1, Kai Graubitz, Tayfun Aybek

  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. s.dogan@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Insights

Minimally invasive multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is safe and feasible. While it showed higher S-100B protein levels, it provided equivalent myocardial and cerebral protection compared to conventional CABG.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Minimally Invasive Procedures
  • Cardiac Surgery Outcomes

Background:

  • Comparing conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with port access CABG.
  • Evaluating clinical, neuropsychological, and angiographic outcomes.
  • Assessing myocardial and cerebral protection, and inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the safety and efficacy of conventional CABG versus port access CABG for multivessel revascularization.
  • To evaluate clinical, neurological, and cardiac outcomes between the two surgical approaches.
  • To analyze markers of myocardial, cerebral, and systemic inflammatory response.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective randomized study of 40 patients undergoing multivessel CABG.
  • Group A: Conventional CABG via median sternotomy. Group B: Port access CABG via minithoracotomy.
  • Neuropsychological testing, cardiac enzyme analysis (CK, CK-MB, Troponin T), cerebral injury markers (S-100B, NSE), and inflammatory markers (C5b-9, myeloperoxidase) were measured.

Main Results:

  • No mortality observed in either group.
  • Similar levels of Troponin T, CK-MB, NSE, and neuropsychological test results.
  • Higher CK and myoglobin in the minimally invasive group; higher S-100B in the port access group.
  • Comparable inflammatory response markers (C5b-9, myeloperoxidase) and myocardial protection.

Conclusions:

  • Port access CABG is a feasible and safe minimally invasive option for multivessel revascularization.
  • Despite longer CPB times and elevated S-100B in the port access group, myocardial and cerebral protection were equivalent.
  • The study supports the use of minimally invasive techniques for complex cardiac procedures.
Abstract

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