Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Is Effective

The use of off-pump robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is safe and effective, according to study published in Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.

In this study, researchers sought to assess clinical outcomes of patients undergoing CABG with either interrupted nitinol U-Clips in totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) or standard running suture anastomosis in robotically assisted direct coronary artery bypass (RADCAB) over a decade (2007-2017). Overall, they analyzed 280 patients who underwent robotic off-pump CABG using the da Vinci S/Si Surgical System. Subsequent to discharge, patients were contacted to complete a phone interview and attended the outpatient clinic every six months or one year.

According to the results, all the patients were discharged without in-hospital mortality or adverse outcomes. The cumulative survival rates (P=0.53), the cumulative internal mammary artery (IMA) patency rates (P=0.83), and the rates of freedom from major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events (P=0.41) between TECAB and RADCAB all showed no significant difference in the follow-up, the researchers noted.

The researchers concluded, “Robotic off-pump CABG using IMA grafts is safe and can provide reliable long-term outcomes. Compared with the standard hand-sewn running suture technique in RADCAB, interrupted suture with the nitinol U-Clips in TECAB showed similar long-term clinical results and graft patency in [left] IMA to [left anterior descending] bypass grafting.”