Total arterial revascularisation as a primary strategy for coronary artery bypass grafting

Effect of skeletonisation and pedicled bilateral internal mammary artery grafting in coronary artery bypass surgery on post-operative wound infection: A meta-analysis

The results showed that different internal thoracic artery (ITA) was associated with the rate of postoperative wound infection and the severity of pain following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In order to ascertain if there was any genuine difference in the rate of postoperative infection and severity of the pain, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate if there was any actual difference in the wound complication that had been identified with the ITA method. Through EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Pubmed, and so forth, we systematically reviewed the results by August 2023, which compared the impact of skeletonised versus pedicled internal mammary artery (IMA) on wound complications following CABG. The trial data have been pooled and analysed in order to determine if a randomisation or fixed-effect model should be applied. The meta-analysis of data was performed with Revman 5.3 software. The results of this meta-study included 252 related articles from four main databases, and nine articles were chosen to be extracted and analysed. A total of 3320 patients were treated with coronary artery transplantation. Based on current data analysis, we have shown that the rate of postoperative wound infections is reduced by the use of the skeletonised internal mammary artery (SIMA) (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.13, 3.01; p = 0.01). But the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the post-operation pain score of the patients (MD, 0.09; 95% CI, -0.58, 0.76; p = 0.79). Furthermore, the duration of the operation was not significantly different between the SIMA and pedicled internal mammary artery (PIMA) (MD, 3.30; 95% CI, -3.13, 9.73; p = 0.31). Overall, the SIMA decreased the rate of postoperative wound infection in CABG patients than the PIMA.

Pedicled or skeletonized bilateral internal mammary artery harvesting - a meta- analysis and trial sequential analysis

OBJECTIVE

There is varying evidence on the role of skeletonization of internal mammary artery in reducing the risk of sternal wound infections and ischemia following bilateral internal mammary artery grafting. Post-operative clinical outcomes of skeletonized bilateral internal mammary artery versus pedicled bilateral internal mammary artery harvesting in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were compared.

METHODS

A comprehensive electronic search was conducted using MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane database and Google Scholar from inception until 15 June 2020. All studies directly comparing skeletonized and pedicled bilateral internal mammary artery harvesting were included. Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

Nine studies (one randomized controlled trial and eight observational studies) consisting of 3649 patients (2050 patients with skeletonized bilateral internal mammary artery grafting and 1599 patients with pedicled bilateral internal mammary artery grafting) were included. Pooled effects analysis and trial sequential analysis reported significantly lower risk of sternal wound infection with skeletonized bilateral internal mammary artery harvesting (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.20-0.51, p < 0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS

Skeletonization reduces the risk of sternal wound infections by preserving vasculature as much as possible. This facilitates its use in patients at high risk of sternal wound infection.

Radial artery as graft for coronary artery bypass surgery: Advantages and disadvantages for its usage focused on structural and biological characteristics

Radial artery (RA) is the most popular arterial graft after the left internal thoracic artery in both low- and high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Various arterial grafts such as the right internal thoracic artery, the right gastroepiploic artery, and the inferior epigastric artery have also gained ground over the past 30 years because of the intimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis of the saphenous vein leading to late graft occlusion. In this review article we would like to present the utility of the RA as a graft, focused mainly on its structural and biological characteristics.

Early outcomes of radial artery use in all-arterial grafting of the coronary arteries in patients 65 years and older

We retrospectively evaluated early clinical results of coronary revascularization using none but arterial grafts in patients aged 65 years and older. The cases of 449 consecutive patients who had undergone isolated myocardial revascularization were divided into 2 groups: the arterial conduit group (n=107) received a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft and 1 or both radial arteries (RAs), while the mixed-conduit group (n=342) received a LIMA graft and 1 or more saphenous vein grafts (SVGs), with or without an RA. There was no significant difference between the groups' rates of mortality. The arterial conduit group had a significantly shorter overall postoperative hospital stay than did the mixed-conduit group (mean, 6.6 +/- 0.9 vs 7.2 +/- 5 days; P=0.04). Linear regression analysis revealed that the presence of hypertension (beta=0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.054-0.759; P=0.02) and high EuroSCORE (beta=0.24; 95% CI, 0.053-0.283; P=0.004) were the major predicting factors for long hospital stay. Graft-harvest-site infection was statistically more frequent in the mixed-conduit group than in the arterial conduit group (6.4% vs 0, respectively; P=0.007). Angiography was performed postoperatively (mean, 24.9 +/- 16.3 mo; range, 11-65 mo) in 21 patients. In these patients, all LIMA grafts were patent, as were 86.9% of the SVGs and 90.9% of the RA grafts. Myocardial revascularization using all arterial grafts (at least 50% RAs) in patients aged 65 years and older is safe and reliable, produces short-term results equal to those of saphenous vein grafting, and can reduce graft-harvest-site infections.

Total Arterial Off-Pump versus On-Pump Coronary Revascularization:. Comparison of Early Outcome

BACKGROUND AND AIM

To assess differences in the early outcome after complete arterial myocardial revascularization with (ONCAB) or without cardiopulmonary bypass (OPCAB).

METHODS

Out of 870 consecutive CABG procedures 58 OPCAB and 91 ONCAB patients receiving exclusive arterial grafts were analyzed. OPCAB patients had more single-vessel (p < 0.0001), less triple-vessel (p < 0.0001) or left main disease (p = 0.0021), higher angina class (p = 0.003), unstable angina (p < 0.0001) or previous PTCAs (p < 0.0001).

RESULTS

ONCAB was associated with longer operations (182.5 +/- 38 vs. 147 +/- 56 min; p = 0.0001) and more anastomoses/patient (3.2 +/- 1 vs. 2 +/- 0.9; p < 0.0001), but incomplete revascularization was similar in both groups (11% vs. 17%; p = ns). ITA use was identical, whereas single left internal thoracic artery (LITA) use (25.9% vs.1%; p < 0.0001) and LITA jump anastomoses (10.3% vs. 7.7%; p < 0.0001) were more frequent in OPCAB. Radial artery (RA) use (89% vs. 46.6%; p < 0.0001) and RA jump anastomoses (57.1% vs. 12.1%; p < 0.0001) were more frequent in ONCAB. Mortality, arrhythmias, cerebro-vascular accidents (CVA), and renal failure were similar, but ventilatory support shorter (8.8 +/- 11.8 vs. 15.6 +/- 9.4 h; p < 0.0001) and cardiac enzyme release smaller (p < 0.0001) after OPCAB with a trend toward less myocardial infarction (1.7% vs. 7.7%; p = 0.12) and low output (1.7% vs. 8.8%; p = 0.089), and more respiratory complications (10.3% vs. 2.2%; p = 0.056).

CONCLUSIONS

Arterial OPCAB patients have less extensive CAD, but more severe symptoms. Early outcome is similar concerning mortality, arrhythmias, CVA, renal failure, or ICU and hospital stay, but with shorter ventilatory support and lower cardiac enzymes with a trend toward lower myocardial infarction and low output, but higher respiratory complication rates after OPCAB.