Robotic Coronary Bypass Research Articles

Development and Validation of a Low-Cost, High-Fidelity Simulation Model for Robotic Internal Mammary Artery Harvest Using the da Vinci Xi Robot.

We created and validated a low-cost simulation model for robotic internal mammary artery (IMA) takedown. The simulation model utilized a calf fetus thorax cavity stented open internally and secured to a table. The simulation model was validated at a 2-day robotic cardiac surgery workshop. Each participant harvested one IMA using the da Vinci Xi robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). We compared participant self-reported confidence at robotic IMA harvest before and after using the simulator. Our novel thorax-securing strategy resulted in a stable structure and allowed access to both IMAs from the same 3 ports. The cost to set up the first simulation model was $176 and $133 for every subsequent model. Fifty participants used the simulation model: 42 cardiothoracic surgery attendings and 8 fellows or residents. The feedback form response rate was 78% (n = 39). On the Likert scale, participants rated realism of the calf model to simulate robotic IMA harvesting (0 = not realistic, 10 = highly realistic) with a median of 8 out of 10 (interquartile range [IQR] 7 to 9). Participant confidence (0 = not at all confident, 10 = very confident) in robotic IMA harvesting before and after using the simulator increased (P = 0.001) from a median of 5 (IQR 1 to 7) to 9 (IQR 7 to 10). This robotic IMA harvest simulation model is affordable, realistic, and improved participant confidence in robotic IMA harvest. It may provide a valuable training tool for surgeons learning robotic coronary bypass surgery and allows for training frequency necessary to pass basic learning curves.

Embracing industry in the development of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Embracing industry in the development of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Small incisions still require great anesthesia: anesthesiology techniques to enhance recovery in robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has emerged as a promising minimally invasive surgical technique for the treatment of coronary artery disease. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the anesthetic management for robotic CABG. Challenges associated with robotic CABG are discussed and various anesthetic techniques, perioperative elements and pain management modalities that can contribute to enhanced patient recovery are explored.

Embracing industry in the development of robotic coronary bypass grafting-the sun rises in the East.

The introduction of robotic surgical devices nearly two decades ago led to a significant reduction in the invasiveness of cardiac procedures. The further worldwide implementation of robotic surgical devices in cardiac surgery, especially coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve repair or replacement, has, however, been stalled by numerous challenges. First, there is the high complexity of the procedures that involve a significant learning curve; second, there is the significant cost of robotic surgical devices. Furthermore, significant changes in the medical device regulation have occurred in recent years, hindering further technological development and the emergence of new players on the market. Finally, clinical evidence regarding the benefits of robotic-cardiac procedures remains scarce at this time. We invited all players active in or planning to throw themselves into robotic-assisted cardiac surgery to discuss these challenges in a semi-structured interview. Two promising and ambitious companies showed interest in participating in this project: Medicaroid and SS Innovations. The main conclusions from the interview are that both companies aim (I) to launch an affordable alternative compared to the current robotic surgical devices, (II) to further develop their robotic devices based on the opinion of physicians, and (III) to engage in overcoming the steep learning curve correlated with robotic-assisted cardiac procedures.

Issues and considerations in perioperative management of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Issues and considerations in perioperative management of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Historical landmarks in the development of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Historical landmarks in the development of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Issues and considerations in perioperative management of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Minimally invasive approaches to address coronary artery disease, such as robotic coronary bypass grafting, are emerging in surgery and have been shown to be beneficial with a reduction in morbidity. The perioperative management of this subset of patients is crucial to the success of the operation as there are several preoperative and postoperative issues and considerations that need to be addressed. A meticulous preoperative workup with an extensive history, physical exam, and appropriate imaging are instrumental to ensure a successful operation. Protocolized postoperative care is also essential to garnish the most benefit from this minimally invasive approach. All of these factors, in conjunction with a heart team approach and surgeon experience, are imperative for the successful outcome of robotic coronary artery revascularization.

Small incisions still require great anesthesia: anesthesiology techniques to enhance recovery in robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Small incisions still require great anesthesia: anesthesiology techniques to enhance recovery in robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Historical landmarks in the development of robotic coronary bypass grafting.

Robotic technology was first used in history for the minimally invasive surgical treatment of coronary artery disease. In 1998, the first operations were carried out at the Hôpital Broussais in Paris. Thereafter, several European and United States (US) centers developed surgical concepts for robotically assisted internal mammary artery harvesting and the construction of the anastomoses, either through minithoracotomy or in a totally endoscopic fashion. Initial experiences were documented in a number of single and multicenter series published in the early and mid-2000s. Key steps in further procedure development included the introduction of a robotic endostabilizer for beating heart completely endoscopic operations, the combination with percutaneous coronary intervention in hybrid approaches, the introduction of second, third, and fourth generations of surgical robots with improvements in each iteration, the availability of anastomotic devices, and most recently, the emergence of new robotic technology companies producing interesting alternatives to the existing machines. The larger clinical series included 500 to over 1,000 patients, with clinical results that well justified the continued application of robotics. Development of robotic coronary bypass grafting has generally been slow, but at committed centers, the procedures are routine, reproducible, safe, and effective. Over 25 years of development, robotic surgical coronary revascularization has become an important component in the armamentarium of minimally invasive heart surgery.

Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Multivessel Coronary Bypass Guided by Computerized Tomography.

Robot-assisted minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery is one of the least invasive approaches that offers multivessel revascularization and accelerated recovery. We investigated the benefits of computed tomography angiography (CTA) guidance in robotic coronary bypass (RCAB) by analyzing perioperative outcomes. Between April 2022 and April 2023, 60 consecutive patients who underwent RCAB under preoperative CTA guidance were included. The intercostal space of the minithoractomy incision was determined based on the distance from the thoracotomy site to the midsection of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) on preoperative CTA. Peripheral vascular findings on preoperative CTA guided the decision for the cannulation site. Perioperative parameters and early outcomes were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 62.3 ± 10.5 years, and 51 patients were male (85.0%). The mean number of revascularized vessels was 2.9 ± 1.1. Left thoracotomy guided by CTA measurements was performed in the fourth intercostal space in 37 patients (61.7%) and in the third intercostal space in the remaining patients. Axillary cannulation was performed in 28 (46.7%) patients because of prohibitive findings in the iliac vessels and aorta. All target coronary arteries with an indication for bypass were revascularized with CTA-guided RCAB. The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was anastomosed to the LAD in all patients, and the LIMA was anastomosed sequentially to the diagonal artery in 17 patients (28.3%). No operative mortality or cerebrovascular event was observed. One patient underwent reoperation due to bleeding. Robot-assisted minimally invasive multiple-vessel coronary bypass under preoperative CTA guidance is safe and can be performed with excellent results.

Designing the coronary artery bypass surgery operation of the future.

This article discusses current shortcomings in coronary artery bypass surgery and ways to overcome them. Minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery, robotic coronary bypass, and hybrid approaches aim to avoid sternotomy, employ arterial grafts, and minimize the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Other considerations such as bypass graft validation, the optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy, and the development of coronary surgery specialists are also crucial to further the benefits of coronary artery bypass grafting on future patients. Coronary artery bypass grafting must become less invasive, be better validated, and be carried out with an even higher emphasis on quality, including graft validation and preoperative/postoperative optimization, if it is to remain the best treatment for advanced, severe coronary artery disease.

Extrathoracic Internal Thoracic Artery 20 Years After Robotic Coronary Bypass.

Extrathoracic Internal Thoracic Artery 20 Years After Robotic Coronary Bypass.

Routine Intensive Care May Be Selectively Skipped After Robotic Coronary Bypass

Intensive Care Unit Bypass for Robotic-Assisted Single-Vessel Coronary Artery Bypass GraftingThe Annals of Thoracic SurgeryPreviewFast-track and enhanced recovery after cardiac surgical procedures have shown reductions in intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital lengths of stay, with unchanged outcomes. However, cost reduction by an ultra-fast-track protocol after minimally invasive cardiac operations, without compromising clinical benefits, has yet to be demonstrated. Full-Text PDF

Robotic Multivessel Endoscopic Coronary Bypass: Impact of a Beating-Heart Approach With Connectors

Most robotic coronary bypass operations are single-vessel procedures. Very few centers perform totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB), and even fewer perform multivessel grafting endoscopically. We hypothesized that a robotic beating-heart approach using distal anastomotic connectors facilitates multivessel TECAB with similar safety and efficacy to single-vessel TECAB. We reviewed patients undergoing robotic TECAB at our institution between July 2013 and March 2018. There were 344 consecutive patients divided into two groups: multivessel (MV, group 1), and single-vessel (SV, group 2). We interrogated our prospectively collected database for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative outcomes to compare the groups. There were 197 patients in group 1 and 147 patients in group 2. Mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons scores were 1.69% ± 2.4% and 1.96% ± 3.5%, respectively (p= 0.389). Patients in group 1 were older, 67 ± 9.4 versus 63 ± 11.2 years (p < 0.001) and had more triple-vessel disease, 135 (69%) versus 31 (21%; p < 0.001). In group 1, 174 patients (88%) had bilateral internal mammary arterygrafts and 13% had triple-vessel TECAB. Mean hospital stay was 3.07 ± 1.2 days in group 1 and 2.81 ± 1.4 days in group 2 (p= 0.072), and overall mortality was1.45% (2.0% and 0.7%, respectively; p= 0.268). Graftpatency (mean, 7 months) was 95.6% (151 of 158 grafts) in group 1 and 94.9% (37 of 39 grafts) in group 2 (p= 0.896). Multivessel grafting is feasible during robotic beating-heart connector TECAB with good outcomes. We found no significant difference in mortality, hospital stay, midterm major adverse cardiac events, and interim graft patency compared with single-vessel TECAB. Further studies are warranted.

Analysis of the learning curve for beating heart, totally endoscopic, coronary artery bypass grafting

Robotic cardiac surgery has been proved safe and feasible in dedicated centers. We systematically analyzed the learning curve issues associated with totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB) using a stepwise approach by a single surgeon who had successfully performed >650 cases of various types of robotic cardiac surgery at our single center. From January 2007 to March 2013, 230 patients underwent robotic coronary bypass grafting on the beating heart. Of these patients, 90 had successfully undergone beating heart TECAB using the da Vinci S/Si Surgical System without conversion to sternotomy. All beating heart TECAB procedures were completed using the following modules: endoscopic left internal thoracic artery (LITA) harvesting, pericardiotomy and target vessel identification, and anastomosis of the LITA to the target vessel. The perioperative outcomes were compared among 3 quintiles of 30 consecutive patients each and the learning curve results were evaluated. No in-hospital mortality or severe morbidity occurred. The comparison among the 3 quintiles showed a significant decrease in operative time (P=.000), LITA harvesting time (P=.037), and anastomotic time (P=.000). A significant learning curve was observed for the operative time [y(min)=223-17×ln(x); r2=0.217, P=.000]; LITA harvesting time [y(min)=37-3×ln(x); r2=0.097, P=.003]; and LITA-left anterior descending artery anastomotic time [y(min)=18-2×ln(x); r2=0.298, P=.000]. No differences were found in the mean transit flow (P=.102) or perioperative complications among the 3 quintiles. Modular-based TECAB procedures can be successfully performed; however, each module has a steep learning curve. A stable and well-trained robotic cardiac team and an experienced cardiac surgeon can achieve good, reproducible results after this substantial learning curve.

Combined Totally Endoscopic Robotic Coronary Bypass and Mitral Valve Repair via Right-Sided Ports

Combined Totally Endoscopic Robotic Coronary Bypass and Mitral Valve Repair via Right-Sided Ports

Combined Totally Endoscopic Robotic Coronary Bypass and Mitral Valve Repair via Right-Sided Ports

We present a case of combined coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve (MV) repair using a robotic totally endoscopic right-sided approach. A 61-year-old man presented with fatigue due to significant mitral regurgitation and was found to have a tight stenosis in the mid left anterior descending artery. Using the da Vinci robotic system, the patient underwent a left internal mammary artery graft to the left anterior descending artery using the C-Port Flex A distal anastomotic device followed by a MV repair. Both procedures were performed endoscopically via right chest ports and right femorofemoral bypass successfully. The patient was discharged from the hospital 3 days postoperatively and returned to normal activity within 3 weeks after surgery. This case study shows the feasibility of using an endoscopic robotic approach in selected patients undergoing combined MV coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

A Vanishing Lesion

A 62-year-old man with acute coronary syndrome and triple-vessel disease underwent uneventful robotic coronary bypass with right internal mammary artery graft to the ramus intermedius branch and left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Two days later,

Minimally invasive robotic coronary bypass on the beating heart using da Vinci S system

To summarize the experience of minimally invasive robotic coronary bypass on beating heart using da Vinci S in China. Fifty-six patients underwent selected robotic coronary bypass on beating heart from April 2007 to December 2008. All the patients had history of angina and the coronary arteriography showed severe stenosis in the left anterior descending artery (LAD), of which 10 cases had right coronary artery or left circumflex coronary (LCX) stenosis. The age was 33 to 74 years old, with a mean of (55.8 +/- 9.4) years old. The weight was (71.4 +/- 13.2) kg. All the patients had good lung function and had no medical history of pleurisy and thoracic surgery. CT scan of double internal thoracic artery (ITA) was routinely checked preoperatively. The procedures included: (1) The robotically assisted endoscopic atraumatic coronary artery bypass surgery. The approach was via a small left anterior thoracotomy (6 to 8 cm) after robotic ITA was taken down. The ITA was manually anastomosed to the LAD or LCX on beating heart. (2) Totally endoscopic coronary bypass graft on beating heart. After ITA harvesting, the endo stabilizer was inserted via the fourth port in the xiphoid area under endoscopic vision. The left ITA to the LAD grafting was done using U-clips on beating heart in a totally endoscopic manner using da Vinci S system through 4 ports. For all patients the ITA flow was checked by the Doppler flowmeter after anastomosis was completed. After the surgery was completed, the thoracic port was checked carefully to avoid bleeding. The operating procedures and a variety of clinical parameters were recorded and analyzed. (3) Stent placement after robotic surgery in a hybrid manner. The graft patency rate was evaluated by CT or arteriography. All patients successfully accepted robotic minimally invasive coronary bypass on the beating heart using da Vinci S surgical system without complications. The mean graft flow was (23.2 +/- 16.7) ml/min. And there was no surgical conversion and surgical death. Fifty-three patients received ITA to LAD grafts and 3 patients received double coronary artery bypass grafts as well. Ten cases received stent placement in separate session. The CT scan and angiography revealed patent grafts in all patients. There were no post-operative complications. All patients were discharged from hospital. As a new advanced approach of revascularization, robotic ITA harvesting and coronary anastomoses can be safely performed with the da Vinci S system. The procedure is minimally invasive and can offer enhanced ability to control precise and stable operative manipulations.

Hybrid Coronary Revascularization by Endoscopic Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Beating Heart and Stent Placement

Hybrid revascularization has been used in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). Very few endoscopic robotic coronary bypasses on the beating heart have been reported. The aim of this study was to assess hybrid revascularization by endoscopic robotic coronary artery bypass on the beating heart with percutaneous coronary intervention in a staged approach. Forty-two patients underwent selective robotic coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart. Ten patients with right coronary artery or circumflex coronary stenosis underwent stent placement after robotic left internal mammary artery (LIMA) anastomosis to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery surgery in a separate session. The average age of the patients was 62.3 +/- 12.1 years old. Coronary arteriography showed significant stenosis or total occlusion of the LAD in all patients and significant stenosis in the right coronary or circumflex arteries. The LIMA was harvested by the da Vinci S robotic surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) and manually anastomosed to the LAD off-pump in 6 patients, and by totally endoscopic bypass on the beating heart in 4 patients. Percutaneous coronary intervention with placement of a stent to stenotic non-LAD targets was performed 4 to 5 days after operation. All LIMA-LAD grafts were assessed angiographically. All 10 patients had off-pump robotic bypass surgery and stent placement using a staged approach without complications. Our preliminary study shows that hybrid coronary revascularization by endoscopic robotic coronary artery bypass grafting on a beating heart and subsequent stent placement is a feasible integrated approach for patients with multivessel CAD.