Monica Gianoli, Anne Roos de Jong, Harmen Matthijs Wassink, Paul F Gründeman, Bob Kiaii, Husam H Balkhy, Willem J L Suyker
{"title":"Coronary Connector Facilitated Total Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass: An Ex Vivo Feasibility Study.","authors":"Monica Gianoli, Anne Roos de Jong, Harmen Matthijs Wassink, Paul F Gründeman, Bob Kiaii, Husam H Balkhy, Willem J L Suyker","doi":"10.1177/15569845241288540","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) procedures pose significant challenges, motivating the development of Octocon, an automated endoscopic connector designed for coronary anastomoses in off-pump and endoscopic settings. This feasibility study aimed to assess Octocon's functionality and maneuverability in closed-chest conditions during robot-assisted TECAB simulations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Octocon deployment comprises a 3-step procedure. Initially, delicate self-aligning microstapling technology is used to attach connector halves to individual blood vessels. Subsequently, the connector halves are joined to accomplish the anastomosis process. TECAB conditions were simulated using a dedicated box housing ex vivo porcine hearts. The study, conducted by 3 experienced surgeons, investigated the feasibility and standardization potential of a robot-assisted procedure employing Octocon. It evaluated maneuverability in closed-chest conditions and assessed the effectiveness of grafting internal mammary artery segments to different heart regions using single graft, jump graft, and Y-graft constructions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The robot-assisted procedure, using 4 standard instruments, successfully completed all 3 steps in 18 anastomotic procedures. In 96% of cases, the procedural steps were accomplished on the first attempt. The feasibility of constructing jump graft and Y-graft geometries on both anterior and posterior heart walls was demonstrated. Furthermore, experiences affirmed the device's endoscopic user-friendliness, ease of teachability, reproducibility, and potential to achieve expedient, leak-free anastomoses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This ex vivo study confirmed Octocon's potential suitability and functionality for TECAB. The device can create diverse grafting strategies and achieve wide-open vascular connections on various heart regions, highlighting its potential in advancing minimally invasive, robot-assisted coronary procedures. These promising results justify further exploration for integration into clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":13574,"journal":{"name":"Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15569845241288540","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"SURGERY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) procedures pose significant challenges, motivating the development of Octocon, an automated endoscopic connector designed for coronary anastomoses in off-pump and endoscopic settings. This feasibility study aimed to assess Octocon's functionality and maneuverability in closed-chest conditions during robot-assisted TECAB simulations.
Methods: The Octocon deployment comprises a 3-step procedure. Initially, delicate self-aligning microstapling technology is used to attach connector halves to individual blood vessels. Subsequently, the connector halves are joined to accomplish the anastomosis process. TECAB conditions were simulated using a dedicated box housing ex vivo porcine hearts. The study, conducted by 3 experienced surgeons, investigated the feasibility and standardization potential of a robot-assisted procedure employing Octocon. It evaluated maneuverability in closed-chest conditions and assessed the effectiveness of grafting internal mammary artery segments to different heart regions using single graft, jump graft, and Y-graft constructions.
Results: The robot-assisted procedure, using 4 standard instruments, successfully completed all 3 steps in 18 anastomotic procedures. In 96% of cases, the procedural steps were accomplished on the first attempt. The feasibility of constructing jump graft and Y-graft geometries on both anterior and posterior heart walls was demonstrated. Furthermore, experiences affirmed the device's endoscopic user-friendliness, ease of teachability, reproducibility, and potential to achieve expedient, leak-free anastomoses.
Conclusions: This ex vivo study confirmed Octocon's potential suitability and functionality for TECAB. The device can create diverse grafting strategies and achieve wide-open vascular connections on various heart regions, highlighting its potential in advancing minimally invasive, robot-assisted coronary procedures. These promising results justify further exploration for integration into clinical practice.
期刊介绍:
Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery is the first journal whose main mission is to disseminate information specifically about advances in technology and techniques that lead to less invasive treatment of cardiothoracic and vascular disease. It delivers cutting edge original research, reviews, essays, case reports, and editorials from the pioneers and experts in the field of minimally invasive cardiothoracic and vascular disease, including biomedical engineers. Also included are papers presented at the annual ISMICS meeting. Official Journal of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery