• H Reichenspurner, V Gulielmos, J Wunderlich, M Dangel, F M Wagner, M F Pompili, J H Stevens, J Ludwig, W G Daniel, and S Schüler.
• Cardiovascular Institute, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany.
• Ann. Thorac. Surg. 1998 Feb 1; 65 (2): 413-9.

BackgroundTo reduce surgical trauma, we performed minimally invasive Port-Access (Heartport Inc, Redwood City, CA) coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest.MethodsThirty-six men and 6 women with a median age of 59 years (range, 31 to 75 years) and isolated lesions of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery underwent Port-Access coronary artery bypass grafting. A small (6- to 9-cm) incision was made parasternally on top of the fourth rib. The left internal thoracic (mammary) artery was dissected and taken down through the minithoracotomy either alone or using an additional thoracoscopic approach. Cardiopulmonary bypass was instituted through femoral cannulation, and an additional endoarterial balloon catheter (Heartport Inc) was introduced into the ascending aorta for aortic occlusion, aortic root venting, and the delivery of cold antegrade crystalloid cardioplegia. After cardioplegic arrest, the left internal mammary artery was anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery under direct vision.ResultsThe median left internal mammary artery takedown time was 49.5 +/- 21.9 minutes, the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass was 59.5 +/- 32.8 minutes, the aortic occlusion time was 28.5 +/- 7.9 minutes, the intensive care unit stay was 1.0 +/- 3.2 days, and the total hospital stay was 5.0 +/- 2.5 days. Intraoperative angiograms were done in the first 10 patients and showed patent left internal mammary artery grafts without anastomotic complications in all cases. Two arterial dissections, including one aortic dissection, were observed in patients with preexisting peripheral vascular disease. The other complications were minor. All but 1 patient recovered well, with no major limitations in their daily activities.ConclusionsUsing this minimally invasive method, sternotomy-related complications can be avoided, the hospital stay can be reduced, and a safe coronary artery bypass grafting procedure can be performed with the advantage of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest as are used routinely in conventional coronary artery operations.

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