Accelerated graft disease in a composite saphenous vein with internal thoracic artery in a chronic renal dialysis patient

Comparison of Radial Artery and Saphenous Vein Composite Y Grafts during Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass

Background

The safety and efficacy of arterial composite grafts for total arterial revascularization have been demonstrated. The saphenous vein (SV) is a widely used graft because of its accessibility, sufficient length, and ease of manipulation. Our aim was to compare mid-term outcomes of saphenous vein Y-grafts with radial artery Y-grafts joined by anastomosis to the left internal thoracic artery.

Materials and Methods

Records of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with composite Y-grafts based on the left internal thoracic artery technique in 552 patients were analyzed retrospectively. After propensity score matching, 79 radial arterial (RA) composite grafts (RA group) and 79 saphenous vein composite grafts (SV group) were compared. The duration of mean follow-up was 24.6±14.6 months (range, 1 to 55 months).

Results

There were no differences in surgical mortality, all-cause mortality, or morbidity among the groups. Rates of 4-year survival were 91.7% and 96.3% in the RA and SV groups, respectively (p=0.519). The coronary reintervention-free survival rate and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events were similar in the two groups (p=0.685, p=0.564).

Conclusion

Construction of composite Y-grafts using the radial artery or saphenous vein showed similar mid-term results. Long-term follow-up and randomized trials will be needed to confirm our present conclusions.

Composite versus conventional coronary artery bypass grafting strategy for the anterolateral territory: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

In severe coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is indicated to re-establish an adequate blood supply to the ischemic myocardium. Effectiveness of CABG surgery for symptom relief and mortality decrease should therefore depend on bypass graft patency. As bypass using a left internal mammary artery (LIMA)-to-left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) anastomosis allows the best results in terms of graft patency, we designed a new surgical technique using a saphenous vein graft as a venous bridge to distribute the LIMA flow to the cardiac anterolateral territory. This novel strategy could extend the patency benefits associated to the LIMA. Other potential benefits of this technique include easier surgical technique, possibility to use saphenous vein grafts as vein patch angioplasty, shorter saphenous vein grafts requirement and reduced or eliminated manipulations of the ascendant aorta (and associated stroke risk).

Methods/Design

Between July 2012 and 2016, 200 patients undergoing a primary isolated CABG surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass with a LAD bypass graft and at least another target on the anterolateral territory will be randomized (1:1) according to 1) the new composite strategy and 2) the conventional strategy with a LIMA-to-LAD anastomosis and revascularization of the other anterolateral target(s) with a separated aorto-coronary saphenous vein graft. The primary objective of the trial is to assess whether the composite strategy allows non-inferior anterolateral graft patency index (proportion of non-occluded CABGs out of the total number of CABGs) compared to the conventional technique. The primary outcome is the anterolateral graft patency index, evaluated at one year by 256-slice computed tomography angiography. Ten years of clinical follow-up is planned to assess clinical outcomes including death, myocardial infarction and need for revascularization.

Discussion

This non-inferiority trial has the potential to advance the adult cardiac surgery field, given the potential benefits associated with the composite grafting strategy.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01585285.

Early results of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for patients on chronic renal dialysis

OBJECTIVE

Renal dialysis is one of the independent risk factors for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) may become a good option for these patients. In this study, early results as well as surgical techniques of OPCAB in dialysis patients were analyzed compared with non-dialysis patients.

METHODS

Between July 1997 and December 2002, 471 consecutive patients who underwent OPCAB were enrolled in this study. Among them, 20 patients (4.2%) had received hemodialysis regularly for more than 3 months until the operation. Severity of coronary artery disease or clinical presentations had no significant difference, however, left ventricular function was significantly impaired in dialysis patients.

RESULTS

The average number of anastomosis was 2.8 +/- 1.0 in the dialysis group and 3.2 +/- 1.0 in the non-dialysis group (p=0.056). Twelve patients (60.0%) received 3 or more bypass grafts in the dialysis group. Among them, 6 patients were revascularized only by in-situ or composite arterial conduits using bilateral internal thoracic arteries with or without the gastroepiploic artery. No patients required aortic clamping in the dialysis group. There was no mortality or morbidity in dialysis patients. Perioperaitve bleeding and mechanical ventilation time in the intensive care unit was similar in both groups. No dialysis patients required prolonged mechanical ventilation and hemodialysis from the beginning of the operation to extubation.

CONCLUSION

The rationale for OPCAB for dialysis patients has been established. Total arterial revascularization without aortic clamping is applicable for dialysis patients who require multivessel bypass grafts.