The hybrid approach to coronary artery revascularization: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass with percutaneous coronary intervention

In the past decade, new developments in cardiology and cardiac surgery have begun to offer patients a variety of new, less invasive options for the treatment of coronary artery disease. One such option is the hybrid approach to coronary artery revascularization. This combines minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery (MIDCAB) of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the remaining diseased coronary arteries. This approach, as an alternative to conventional coronary artery bypass surgery, retains the benefit of internal mammary artery bypass to the LAD, accomplished with a minimally invasive technique, substitutes PCI for saphenous vein grafts as treatment for low-grade lesions of other coronary arteries, and may provide a maximally beneficial outcome for many patients. Preliminary outcomes of patients receiving the hybrid approach have been strikingly positive. This report highlights the rationale for the development of this procedure, patient selection, results, and future applications of this emerging method of treating coronary artery disease.