Hybrid Revascularisation by Combined Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) and PCI in Multivessel Coronary Disease

Hybrid coronary revascularization integrates the positive features of both Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), combining the durability of Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery (LIMA) coronary bypass with the minimal invasiveness and lower risk of percutaneous intervention. Thereby it might represent a better option in a sizeable proportion of patients. Candidate patients in whom hybrid revascularization would be advantageous are several subgroups of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients that are increasing in numbers: the elderly patients with a high risk of mortality and/or morbidity for CABG, patients with significant disabilities and patients in whom treatment durability is important but a significantly invasive approach is not an option. There are several potential advantages of the hybrid procedure over conventional CABG in selected patients. These advantages include the avoidance of cardiopulmonary bypass-related morbidity, no aortic manipulation with the LIMA-LAD with the beating heart procedure, less blood loss and decreased transfusions, a shorter recovery time than after conventional CABG and patient's preference for "minimally invasive" surgery. The investigators hypothesize that in selected patients with diffuse coronary disease, a "hybrid" approach employing a staged revascularisation procedure may allow to lower the surgical risk, increase the completeness and effectiveness of revascularisation and, hopefully, to improve immediate and long term outcome. To test this hypothesis, a well designed, properly sized, prospective, randomized study is needed. Available data, however, do not provide sufficient information to speculate on a clinically meaningful, yet achievable, effectiveness. Aim of this observational study is therefore to collect more information on the target population, the clinical outcomes and optimal management in order to inform the design of a comparative effectiveness trial.