Should saphenous vein grafts be the conduits of last resort for coronary artery bypass surgery? 2009

Vinod Jorapur, and Antonio Cano-Gomez, and Cesar A Conde
Division of Cardiology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA. vjorapur@msmc.com

There is overwhelming evidence that internal mammary artery grafts improve survival and clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. It has therefore become standard practice to use the left internal mammary artery as the graft of first choice. Given the overwhelming evidence for the superiority of internal mammary artery grafts, the question that naturally follows is whether the conduit of second choice should be the contralateral internal mammary artery, rather than a saphenous venous graft. This article reviews the evidence supporting the superiority of internal mammary artery grafts over other available conduits and addresses the selection of the second conduit after the left internal mammary artery. The current body of evidence, encompassing multiple clinical studies and employing different methodologies consistently, demonstrates that bilateral internal mammary artery grafting improves survival and long-term clinical outcome. The increasing longevity of postcoronary bypass patients with modern advances in medical and electrical therapies would augment the benefit of this procedure and argue for its greater utilization. Higher patency of arterial grafts may translate to a decreased need for repeat target vessel revascularization and may increase the cost-effectiveness of bilateral internal mammary artery use. However, in 2003, only 3% to 4% of patients undergoing surgical coronary revascularization received bilateral internal mammary artery grafts. There appears to be a potential to increase utilization of this procedure above the current rate. Increased utilization of this procedure would need a concerted effort by the cardiology and cardiac surgery community.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008323 Mammary Arteries Arteries originating from the subclavian or axillary arteries and distributing to the anterior thoracic wall, mediastinal structures, diaphragm, pectoral muscles and mammary gland. Internal Mammary Artery,Internal Thoracic Artery,Arteries, Internal Mammary,Arteries, Internal Thoracic,Arteries, Mammary,Artery, Internal Mammary,Artery, Internal Thoracic,Artery, Mammary,Internal Mammary Arteries,Internal Thoracic Arteries,Mammary Arteries, Internal,Mammary Artery,Mammary Artery, Internal,Thoracic Arteries, Internal,Thoracic Artery, Internal
D003324 Coronary Artery Disease Pathological processes of CORONARY ARTERIES that may derive from a congenital abnormality, atherosclerotic, or non-atherosclerotic cause. Arteriosclerosis, Coronary,Atherosclerosis, Coronary,Coronary Arteriosclerosis,Coronary Atherosclerosis,Left Main Coronary Artery Disease,Left Main Coronary Disease,Left Main Disease,Arterioscleroses, Coronary,Artery Disease, Coronary,Artery Diseases, Coronary,Atheroscleroses, Coronary,Coronary Arterioscleroses,Coronary Artery Diseases,Coronary Atheroscleroses,Left Main Diseases
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001026 Coronary Artery Bypass Surgical therapy of ischemic coronary artery disease achieved by grafting a section of saphenous vein, internal mammary artery, or other substitute between the aorta and the obstructed coronary artery distal to the obstructive lesion. Aortocoronary Bypass,Bypass, Coronary Artery,Bypass Surgery, Coronary Artery,Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting,Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery,Aortocoronary Bypasses,Artery Bypass, Coronary,Artery Bypasses, Coronary,Bypass, Aortocoronary,Bypasses, Aortocoronary,Bypasses, Coronary Artery,Coronary Artery Bypasses
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D012501 Saphenous Vein The vein which drains the foot and leg. Saphenous Veins,Vein, Saphenous,Veins, Saphenous

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