ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the feasibility, safety and preliminary clinical results of quantitative flow ratio (QFR)-guided surgical coronary revascularization. Methods: From Jan 2018 to June 2019 at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with any coronary stenosis ≥ 50%, evaluated by preoperative coronary angiography visualization, were enrolled consecutively. There were 82 patients with 174 coronary artery vessels. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was recommended with a QFR value ≤ 0.8. The data of baseline characteristics, surgical procedure and perioperative outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results: QFR analysis was successfully carried out in 82 patients and 174 coronary artery vessels. QFR was detected positive ( ≤ 0.8) in 53 vessels (30.5%) and negative (>0.8) in the remaining 121 vessels (69.5%). As guided with QFR, 39 patients (47.6%) with 62 vessels (35.6%) proceeded to surgery for primary heart disease with concomitant CABG as planned, while the remaining 43 patients (52.4%) with 112 vessels (64.4%) changed revascularization strategy or spared CABG. Fifteen patients with simple coronary artery disease avoided CABG and discharged. Among the remaining 67 patients operated on, there were 2 deaths, 4 hemodialysis for new renal failure, 1 perioperative myocardial infarction and 1 stroke within 30 d. No unplanned revascularization was observed. The composite adverse events occurred in 6 cases (9.0%). Conclusion: QFR-guided surgical coronary revascularization is feasible and safe. This strategy could reduce the unnecessary bypass grafting. Further follow-up and prospective clinical trials are warranted to evaluate the effectiveness.