title: Failure of cryopreserved saphenous vein allografts following coronary artery bypass surgery.
abstract: Internal mammary arteries and saphenous vein grafts are the most satisfactory conduits for coronary artery bypass. However, at times these conduits are not available, due to previous use or poor quality. This paper reports our experience with 6 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass operations using 10 cryopreserved saphenous veins and internal mammary arteries. Postoperative graft patency was assessed with ultra fast computed tomography or cardiac catheterization. At operation, venous graft patency was 100% (10/10), at 1-8 weeks was 60% (6/10), and at 6-30 months was 0% (0/9). Alternately, all seven internal mammary artery grafts were patent at 2 to 18 months following surgery. One patient died 6 months following operation. Poor graft patency may be related to destruction of the cellular components or fibrosis resulting from the cryopreservation process or from immunologic factors. Because of poor patency compared to autologous conduits, we conclude the use of cryopreserved saphenous veins for coronary artery bypass should be severely restricted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Sellke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stanford
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation; D013997:Time Factors; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology