title: Indication and patient selection in minimally invasive and òff-pump' coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The selection criteria to perform 'off-pump' coronary bypass (OPCAB) grafting are not well defined. The aim of this presentation is to outline the indications and the patient selection on the basis of 2 years experience with 572 OPCAB procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 1996 minimally invasive coronary bypass grafting was performed in 406 patients using a limited minithoracotomy for single left anterior descending artery (LAD) revascularization (group A). In 166 patients full sternotomy and OPCAB grafting for single or multiple vessel revascularization was performed (group B).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A the procedure could be performed 'off-pump' together with a limited thoracotomy in 406 out of 457 patients (88.8%) who were scheduled for single graft revascularization to LAD. Exposure and quality of the LAD was good in 308/406 (76.0%) of the patients. The decision for sternotomy was made for different preoperative characteristics of these patients: Obese female patients 16/457 (3.5%), angiographic evidence of an intramyocardial running LAD 6/457% (1.4%), diffusely diseased and small LAD 11/457 (2.4%) severe COPD 3/457 (0.7%), unstable angina 11/457 (2.4%), emergency revascularization after failed PTCA 4/457 (0.8%). In 315/406 (77.8%) of the minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB)-patients exposure and quality of the LAD was good, in 97/406 (22.2%) moderate or even bad. In the latter subgroup stenosis free anastomosis was reduced (86.5%) compared to the subgroup of good exposure and quality with 98.3%. In group B selection for sternotomy and 'off-pump' procedure was made in 117/166 (70.4%) patients with a normal preoperative status (stable angina, ejection fraction > 35%) and with coronary lesions amenable for beating heart surgery (proximal RCA lesion > 80%, not calcified and well defined POD and marginal branches). In 49/166 (29.5%) decision for 'off-pump' procedure was made on the basis of a potential risk for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) such as acute myocardial infarction in 10/166 (6.0%), reduced ventricular function with EF < 35 in 28/166 (16.9%), calcified ascending aorta 4/166 (2.4%) or concomitant diseases 7/166 (2.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To maintain excellent results after single LAD revascularization using the MIDCAB-approach, appropriate patient selection is crucial. Indication for sternotomy and 'off-pump' single LAD revascularization should made in those patients excluded for MIDCAB and in patients scheduled for multiple vessel-CABG who are at high risk for CPB (concomitant pulmonary, renal, neurological diseases or severely impaired left ventricular dysfunction) and have suitable target coronary arteries in term of location and quality.
authors.affiliation: University of Leipzig, Heartcenter Clinic of Cardiac Surgery, Germany. diea@server3.medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diegeler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matin
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Binner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Autschbach
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Mohr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D018579:Patient Selection; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome