title: Determinants of late outcome after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) is a reliable method to revascularize the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. However, a more consistent body of knowledge is needed to assess factors influencing long-term outcome. With this study, we retrospectively investigated the long-term determinants of survival and freedom from cardiac morbidity and revascularization in patients who underwent MIDCAB.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1997 to 2005, 109 patients underwent MIDCAB. Seventy-five (68.8%) presented isolated LAD disease and 34 (31.2%) multivessel disease. The first 57 patients (53.2%) in the series underwent early postoperative angiographic reinvestigation. All 109 patients were subsequently followed-up at our outpatient clinic. Follow-up (mean 50.7 months, range 3-93) was completed in 100% of cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No in-hospital deaths occurred; 2 patients (1.8%) experienced perioperative myocardial infarction. At early postoperative angiographic reinvestigation, the anastomotic perfect patency rate was 54/57 (94.7%); survival was 100% and 95.8% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Overall freedom from repeated revascularization was 95.3% and 88.3% at 1 and 5 years respectively; freedom from LAD revascularization was 95.3% and 91.6% at 1 and 5 years, respectively; cardiac event-free survival was 95.3% and 80.8% at 1 and 5 years respectively. At multivariable analysis (Cox regression), women were found to have a higher risk of repeated LAD revascularization (hazard ratio [HR] 30.24; P<0.001); female sex and left ventricular dysfunction were the only predictors affecting long-term cardiac outcome (hazard ratio 29.35; P<0.001 and 5.1; P<0.001), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A key factor in the long-term success of MIDCAB seems to be appropriate patient selection. Special attention should be reserved for female patients, as they appear to have a worse cardiac outcome and a higher probability of repeated revascularization on LAD. MIDCAB may represent a viable option for treating multivessel disease when complete revascularization is unfeasible or a hybrid procedure is envisaged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS, Milan, Italy. giulio.pompilio@ccfm.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pompilio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alamanni
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Tartara
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antona
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porqueddu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veglia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biglioli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D023903:Coronary Restenosis; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome