Does obesity affect operative times and perioperative outcome of patients undergoing totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass surgery?

More and more patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are overweight. This patient group suffers from wound healing problems more often than normal-weight patients. Therefore, avoiding sternotomy in obese patients by using an endoscopic technique could be a promising approach. Robotic technology enables totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB) procedures. We investigated whether the intra-operative-times or perioperative-outcome after TECAB-procedure are negatively affected by obesity. Patients [n=127, 101 male, 26 female, median age 59 (31-77) years], undergoing arrested-heart TECAB procedure were enrolled. The median body mass index (BMI) in this patient cohort was 26 (19-38). In detail, 27 patients were normal-weight (BMI <or= 25 kg/m(2)), 67 patients were overweight (BMI 25.1-30 kg/m(2)), 29 patients were obese (BMI 30.1-33.9 kg/m(2)) and four patients were morbidly obese (BMI >or= 34 kg/m(2)). There was no correlation between BMI (1) left internal mammary artery (LIMA) takedown-time [Spearman-rank correlation coefficient (R)=0.02; P=n.s.], (2) lipectomy and pericardiotomy-time (R=0.042, P=n.s.), (3) total operative-time (R=-0.083: P=n.s.), (4) cardiopulmonary-bypass-time (R=-0.012; P=n.s.), (5) aortic-endoocclusion-time (R=-0.055; P=n.s.), (6) mechanical-ventilation-time (R=0.001, P=n.s.), (7) length of ICU-stay (R=0.04; P=n.s.), (8) length of hospital-stay (R=-0.103; P=n.s.) or (9) occurrence of intra- and/or postoperative adverse events. In overweight, obese but also morbidly obese patients the TECAB procedure did not increase operative times or the rate of intra- or postoperative complications. This patient group, therefore, benefits from this less traumatic version of coronary surgery.