Hybrid revascularization using percutaneous coronary intervention and robotically assisted minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery

Hybrid revascularization (HR) combines staged percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on stenoses in the non-left anterior descending (LAD) territories with minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) using the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) to the LAD. The LITA-to-LAD graft, which has a 5-year patency rate of 95%, is the major determinant of the long-term survival for patients. Thus, HR aims to perform full revascularization without compromising the survival advantage of the LITA-to-LAD graft, while preserving the minimally invasive advantages associated with the percutaneous treatment of symptomatic coronary stenoses. We investigated whether HR was a valid alternative to conventional coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. We also present our early experiences with HR using a combined approach of advanced PCI and robotically-assisted MIDCAB.