Endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart using a computer enhanced telemanipulation system.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a technique for computer enhanced endoscopic arterial bypass grafting on the beating heart in an experimental canine model. METHODS: Mongrel dogs (30-35 kg) were used. After single lung ventilation of the right lung was initiated the dogs were placed to the right. The videoscope and the end-effectors of the da Vinci telemanipulation system (Intuitive Surgical, Mountain View, CA) were introduced through three ports. Surgery was performed remotely from the console (motion scaling 3:1). After harvesting of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) and preparation of its distal end, the Endostab, a newly developed endoscopic stabilizer, was introduced through an additional port. The anterior wall of the heart was stabilized and the collateral branch (RC) of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was ligated proximally and distally. The arteriotomy was made and the ITA-graft anastomosed to the RC. The animals were sacrificed and the grafts were checked for patency using bench angiography. RESULTS: In two of five dogs total endoscopic beating heart bypass grafting, including ITA harvest, stabilization, arteriotomy and performance of the anastomosis, was successfully performed using computer enhanced technology and a new endoscopic stabilizer. In two dogs the procedure was completed with femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) support on the beating or fibrillating heart, respectively. One dog expired due to VT. Hemodynamically, endoscopic stabilization was well tolerated. All four grafts were patent despite a target vessel diameter of less than 1 mm. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic stabilizer can sufficiently immobilize the heart to enable endoscopic beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting by means of a computer controlled instrumentation system.