Is robotic beating heart totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass feasible for BMI > 35 morbidly obese patients?

BACKGROUND: We investigated the outcomes of morbidly obese patients after robotic beating heart totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (BH-TECAB). METHODS: This is a retrospective single center study. From July 2013 to December 2016, the outcomes of patients undergoing BH-TECAB were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 234 patients underwent BH-TECAB (172 male, mean age 65.2 years). There were 43 morbidly obese patients defined as body mass index (BMI) greater than 35, and 191 non-morbidly obese patients. Postoperative complications, or mortality in morbidly obese and other patients were similar except for prolonged ventilation >24 h (11.6% vs 2.1%, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Morbidly obese patients had an increased incidence of prolonged ventilation after BH-TECAB, but an otherwise reasonably low morbidity and mortality similar to patients with a lower BMI. We believe that adoption of robotics technology allows for BH-TECAB and can lead to improved outcomes in this high-risk population.