[Robotic internal thoracic artery harvesting and the mid-term follow up of arterial graft patency].

Objective: To summarize our experience of robotic internal thoracic artery (ITA) skeletonized harvesting in Asian patients and evaluate the learning curves of robotic ITA harvesting and ITA graft patency.

Methods: A total of 200 patients underwent totally robotic ITA takedown at our department from April 2007 to August 2012. ITA was harvested in a skeletonized fashion and learning curve estimated. Coronary artery bypass grafting was completed in minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass graft (MIDCAB) or totally endoscopic coronary bypass graft on beating heart (BH-TECAB) manners after robotic ITA harvesting. The coronary angiography or 64-MSCT was performed to evaluate the patency of ITA graft before discharge and at Year 1-5 postoperatively.

Results: One patient underwent median sternotomy for severe plural adhesion. Left ITA (LITA, n = 190), right ITA (RITA, n = 5) and double-ITA (n = 4) were harvested. The mean duration of single ITA harvesting was 18-70 (35.8 ± 10.7) min. A significant learning curve was observed: y (min) = 58.0 - 5.3×ln(x) (r(2) = 0.33, P < 0.01). ITA patency was 98.1% at Year 1 and 97.8% at Year 2 postoperatively respectively. And there was no recurrence of ITA occlusion at Years 3-5.

Conclusions: Robotic ITA takedown is a prerequisite for totally endoscopic coronary bypass graft and can be performed safely and within an acceptable time after overcoming a learning curve. ITA graft patency has comparable outcomes of conventional surgery.