Factors Influencing Hospital Length of Stay After Robotic Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Background. Robotic totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB) is an evolving minimally invasive technology with the potential to reduce hospital length of stay (LOS). Little is known about the factors that influence LOS after this procedure. The aim of this study is to define the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables that predict LOS after TECAB. Methods. From 2001 to 2011, 541 patients, aged 60 years (range, 26 to 90 years), 394 (72.8%) male, 147 (27.1%) female, underwent TECAB using the daVinci telemanipulation system at one European and one American institution. Three hundred forty-six (63.9%) single-, 171 (31.6%) double-, 23 (4.2%) triple-, and 1 (0.2%) quadruple-vessel TECABs were carried out with an overall LOS of 6 days (range, 2 to 54 days) and 30-day mortality of 0.9% (5 of 541); 44.5% of patients (241 of 541) were hybrid intent-to-treat candidates. Results. The following variables showed significant positive correlation with LOS: age, r = 0.188 (p < 0.001); Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score, r = 0.263 (p < 0.001); EuroSCORE, r = 0.191 (p < 0.001); creatinine, r = 0.135 (p = 0.002); and operative time, r = 0.216 (p < 0.001). Other factors that had significant influence on LOS were hemodialysis (p = 0.037), cerebrovascular disease (p = 0.002), learning curve case (p < 0.001), intraoperative surgical problem (p < 0.001), conversion or on-table revision (p < 0.001), revision for bleeding (p < 0.001), postoperative stroke (p < 0.001), intraaortic balloon pump (p < 0.001), hemodialysis (p < 0.001), and atrial fibrillation (p < 0.001). By multivariate analysis, learning curve case, conversion or on-table revision, and revision for bleeding were independent predictors for prolonged LOS (defined as LOS > 6 days). Conclusions. Multiple variables affect LOS after TECAB. Older patients, patients on hemodialysis, patients with cerebrovascular disease, and those with higher general risk scores should expect prolonged LOS. Intraoperative surgical difficulties and conversion to open coronary artery bypass grafting also lead to extended LOS. Postoperative events that are known to prolong LOS in open coronary artery bypass grafting also prolong LOS after TECAB. (Ann Thorac Surg 2013;95:813-9) (C) 2013 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons