In a nutshell
This study investigated radial artery grafts (RAGs) in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). They found that RAGs were a suitable alternative graft for CABG surgery.
Some background
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common condition. It is caused by blockages in the coronary arteries. These arteries supply the heart with blood and oxygen. Blockages can lead to heart attacks and death. One treatment option for a blockage is surgery to divert (bypass) blood around the blockages and restore blood flow.
Bypass surgeries involve implanting a graft (another piece of a blood vessel). The internal mammary artery (IMA) from the chest is usually used. However, the radial artery (RA) from the forearm can also be used. It is unclear if RA grafts (RAGs) are effective for CABG surgery.
Methods & findings
This study included 1,923 patients undergoing CABG. Of these, 117 patients underwent CABG with a RAG. 1,806 patients had an IMA or venous graft (VG). The risk of death, heart attack, or repeat surgery were evaluated.
Patients that had a RAG had a longer surgery (253 minutes vs 223 minutes). They had a shorter stay in the intensive care (23 hours vs 26 hours) but a similar hospital stay. Graft failure with RAG was similar to VGs (23% vs. 25.2%). However, it was higher compared to left IMA grafts (23% vs 8.3%). The risks of death, heart attack or needing repeat surgery were similar between RAGs and other types of grafts.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that RAGs were suitable for CABG surgery in patients with CAD.
The fine print
The number of patients that had a RAG was low. Patients were not randomly selected for a type of graft. There could have been unknown factors that affected the choice of graft. A controlled study is needed.
What’s next?
If you have any concerns regarding CAD management please consult with your doctor.
Published By :
American heart journal
Date :
Aug 08, 2020
