Early angiographic evaluation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

One of the potential drawbacks of off-pump coronary artery bypass is reduced patency compared with conventional coronary artery bypass. This study examined the systematic angiographic evaluation after off-pump coronary artery bypass. Of the 1604 consecutive patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass over 6 years, 1422 (89%) who underwent postoperative angiography were analyzed. Generalized estimating equations logistic analyses were used to investigate potential predictors of graft failure (FitzGibbon B or O). Bilateral internal thoracic arteries were used in 78% of the patients. The mean number of distal anastomoses was 3.7 ± 1.2. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.4%. Recipient coronary diameter less than 1.5 mm (odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-2.11) was an independent predictor of graft failure, whereas percent stenosis diameter greater than 75% (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53-0.93), sequential graft (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.51-0.94), and left main disease (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53-0.96) were protective factors. In the subanalyses for each conduit, percent stenosis diameter was protective against left internal thoracic artery failure (OR, 0.61), whereas smaller recipient coronary diameter was associated with right gastroepiploic artery and saphenous vein graft failure (OR, 2.37 and 2.36, respectively). Left circumflex artery was associated with gastroepiploic artery graft failure, whereas sequential graft was again protective for the gastroepiploic artery (OR, 4.39 and 0.33, respectively). Smaller coronary diameter would be a predictor of graft failure, whereas percent stenosis diameter greater than 75%, sequential graft, and left main disease would be protective factors for off-pump bypass grafts.

Nakano J ，Okabayashi H ，Noma H ，Sato T ，Sakata R ... -  《-》

Results of the Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Angiographic Patency Study.

Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting is safe and widely applicable, and may be associated with fewer transfusions and infections, and better recovery than standard coronary artery bypass grafting. However, graft patency rates remain unknown. The Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Patency Study prospectively evaluated angiographic graft patency 6 months after minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting. In this dual-center study, 91 patients were prospectively enrolled to undergo minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting via a 4- to 7-cm left thoracotomy approach. The left internal thoracic artery, the ascending aorta for proximal anastomoses, and all coronary targets were directly accessed without endoscopic or robotic assistance. The study primary outcome was graft patency at 6 months, using 64-slice computed tomography angiography. Secondary outcomes included conversions to sternotomy and major adverse cardiovascular events (Clinical Trial Registration Unique identifier: NCT01334866). The mean age of patients was 64 ± 8 years, the mean ejection fraction was 51% ± 11%, and there were 10 female patients (11%) in the study. Surgeries were performed entirely off-pump in 68 patients (76%). Complete revascularization was achieved in all patients, and the median number of grafts was 3. There was no perioperative mortality, no conversion to sternotomy, and 2 reopenings for bleeding. Transfusion occurred in 24 patients (26%). The median length of hospital stay was 4 days, and all patients were followed to 6 months, with no mortality or major adverse cardiovascular events. Six-month computed tomography angiographic graft patency was 92% for all grafts and 100% for left internal thoracic artery grafts. Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting is safe, feasible, and associated with excellent outcomes and graft patency at 6 months post-surgery.

Ruel M ，Shariff MA ，Lapierre H ，Goyal N ，Dennie C ，Sadel SM ，Sohmer B ，McGinn JT Jr ... -  《-》

Revascularization for the right coronary artery territory in off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Graft selection for the right coronary artery territory remains controversial. The objective of this study was to analyze outcomes from revascularization of the right coronary artery territory using the right internal thoracic artery (RITA), the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA), or a saphenous vein graft (SVG). Between January 2001 and December 2010, 1,434 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery using the bilateral mammary arteries were enrolled. Propensity score analysis was used to match patients who underwent revascularization of the right coronary artery territory with the RITA in a Y-composite fashion (RITA group, n=292), the RGEA (RGEA group, n=292), and the SVG (SVG group, n=292). Clinical and angiographic data were analyzed. There were no intergroup differences in terms of in-hospital mortality (0.3% [1 of 292], 0% [0 of 292], and 1% [3 of 292], p=0.332). Freedom from major adverse events including death, stoke, myocardial infarction, and reintervention at 10 years was similar among the three groups (87.8%±3.0% in the RITA group versus 92.4%±1.7% in the RGEA group versus 86.7%±3.4% in the SVG group; p=0.466). A stratified regression analysis showed that use of the saphenous vein was predictive of graft failure (p=0.044, hazard ratio 3.9). Proximal stenosis (<90%) was predictive of graft failure in the arterial groups (p=0.024, hazard ratio 3.1), but not in the SVG group (p=0.112). Arterial grafts should be considered the first choice for right coronary artery territory revascularization in off-pump coronary artery bypass. However, SVG should be considered when proximal stenosis is less than 90%.

Jeong DS ，Kim YH ，Lee YT ，Chung SR ，Sung K ，Kim WS ，Park PW ... -  《-》

Midterm angiographic follow-up after off-pump coronary artery bypass: serial comparison using early, 1-year, and 5-year postoperative angiograms.

Kim KB ，Cho KR ，Jeong DS 《-》

Graft selection for the right coronary artery territory in off-pump coronary artery bypass.

The ideal bypass conduit in a right coronary artery (RCA) system remains controversial. We analyzed 121 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass with internal thoracic arteries for the left coronary artery system and either in situ a right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA; n = 66) or a saphenous vein graft (SVG; n = 55) for the RCA system were enrolled. Follow-up coronary computed tomographic angiographic data were reviewed. The RGEA group showed higher graft patency at 5 years, especially in high grade stenosis (≥ 80%; p = 0.009). In the SVG group, no difference was found between high grade stenosis and low grade stenosis. Freedom from adverse cardiac events at 5 years was higher in the RGEA group (p = 0.006). On multivariate analysis, low grade stenosis of RCA was predictive of graft failure (p = 0.029, hazard ratio = 10.9). In high grade stenosis of RCA, the RGEA group showed higher patency rate. The patency rate of SVG was not dependent on the degree of stenosis of RCA.

Jeong DS ，Lee HY ，Min HK ，Kim WS ，Sung K ，Park PW ，Lee YT ... -  《-》