OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive hybrid revascularization (MIHR) by means of the left mammary artery on the left anterior descending artery [minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB)] combined with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) stenting may be an alternative to conventional coronary artery bypass grafting through sternotomy or multiple PCI. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the long-term outcomes of this strategy. METHODS:Since May 1997 up to January 2011, 810 MIDCAB have been performed as isolated revascularization in 644 patients. Since 2004, MIDCAB, as a part of hybrid revascularization, was associated with PCI in 166 patients. RESULTS:In the MIDCAB group, mean age was 64.6 ± 12.0, with 83.8% males. Two-vessel disease was 62.4%, three-vessel disease 37.6%. Overall mortality was 0.24%, perioperative acute myocardial infarction-1.6%, early reoperation-0.74%, reopening for bleeding-1.2%, case rate of haemotrasfusion-3.1%, with a mean hospital postoperative stay of 4 ± 2.5 days. Postoperative angiographic control prior to PCI and in symptomatic patients showed patent left internal mammary artery in 100% of cases. PCI was performed in 166 patients, 64.2% before MIDCAB and 35.8% after surgery (interval 2.2 ± 1.3 months). The mean follow-up in the MIDCAB group was 8.4 ± 3.2 years. In the MIHR group, at the mean follow-up of 4.5 ± 2.3 years, freedom from related cardiac death was 93% with freedom from cardiac reintervention of 83%. CONCLUSIONS:Our 13-year experience with MIDCAB demonstrates that the operation is safe and associated with a very low incidence of early and late complications. The hybrid approach provided excellent long-term outcome in terms of freedom from cardiac death and reoperation. Accurate patient selection, as well the timing of the hybrid procedure, is mandatory to optimize surgical and PCI results.

ACE inhibition attenuates sympathetic coronary vasoconstriction in patients with coronary artery disease. This is probably due to removal of the facilitating influence of angiotensin II on sympathetic modulation of coronary vasomotor tone.

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