Early Outcomes in Severely Obese Patients Undergoing Sternum-Sparing Minimally Invasive Multivessel Artery Bypass Grafting Using Total Coronary Revascularization via Left Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy

Background/Objectives: Severe obesity significantly increases the risk of complications following full sternotomy in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, these patients are frequently excluded from less invasive, sternum-sparing surgical alternatives. This study aimed to assess the safety and practicality of a newly developed technique—Total Coronary Revascularization via left Anterior miniThoracotomy (TCRAT)—that avoids sternotomy in patients with severe obesity requiring multivessel CABG. Methods: From November 2019 to May 2024, a total of 502 non-emergency patients with multivessel coronary artery disease underwent CABG through a left anterior minithoracotomy using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cardioplegic arrest. Of these, 43 patients with a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 35.0 kg/m2 were classified as severely obese and included for subgroup analysis. Their outcomes were compared to those of the remaining 459 patients with BMI below 35.0 kg/m2. Key intraoperative variables—such as total operative time, CPB duration, aortic cross-clamp time, and graft strategy—were evaluated. Postoperative outcomes, such as the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, minor complications, and length of stay in ICU and hospital, were also analyzed. Results: Severely obese patients exhibited a longer total operation time (353.5 ± 83.6 min vs. 320.4 ± 73.4 min, p < 0.05). In contrast, no statistical differences were observed in aortic cross-clamp time (97.9 ± 27.6 min vs. 95.6 ± 33.0 min; p = 0.307) or CPB time (163.3 ± 35.0 min vs. 155.0 ± 42.9 min; p = 0.078). Both groups received a similar number of distal anastomoses (3.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.0 ± 0.8; p = 0.194), and the frequency of total arterial revascularization was comparable (34.9% vs. 40.0%; p = 0.268). There were no differences between the groups in major complications, including hospital mortality (2.3% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.227), stroke (0.0% vs. 0.6% p = 0.300), or need for re-revascularization (0.0% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.248). Similarly, minor complications, such as wound healing issues (2.3% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.233) and revisions for bleeding (4.6% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.276), were comparable between groups. ICU stay (2.7 ± 4.5 days vs. 2.2 ± 4.0 days; p = 0.225) and total hospital stay (12.3 ± 9.6 days vs. 10.8 ± 8.6 days; p = 0.142) showed no meaningful differences. Conclusions: TCRAT can be performed safely and effectively in severely obese patients, providing a feasible minimally invasive option for complete coronary revascularization in cases of multivessel disease. This approach eliminates the complications associated with sternotomy, making it a valuable surgical alternative for this high-risk patient group.