title: Coronary revascularization with the radial artery: new interest for an old conduit.
abstract: Between July 1992 and May 1994, 148 patients (18 females) underwent myocardial revascularization with a radial artery (RA) graft. The left RA was used in 97.3% of cases. All but two patients received at least one additional arterial conduit: 137 left and 59 right internal mammary arteries (IMA); 23 inferior epigastric arteries; and 21 right gastroepiploic arteries. Total arterial revascularization was achieved in 127 patients (85.8%). An average of 3.0 anastomoses/patient were constructed, 2.8 of which were arterial. RA proximal anastomoses were placed on the IMA in 75% of cases, while direct anastomosis to the aorta (23.7%) or to a saphenous vein (1.3%) was performed in the remainder. When anastomosed to an IMA, the RA was subsequently infused intraluminally with 10 mg of papaverine (1 mg/mL). The target artery was the left anterior descending or one of its branches in 14.7% of cases, the circumflex system in 76.3%, and the native right coronary or one of its branches in the remaining 9%. An infusion of diltiazem (4 mg/hour) was started once the aorta was unclamped, and patients were maintained on oral diltiazem for 6 months postoperatively. Operative mortality was 1.4% (2 patients), with the additional late deaths from noncardiac causes. In one patient there was a prolonged serous drainage from the RA donor site. Of the 144 survivors 140 are asymptomatic. Follow-up angiography demonstrated 100% early patency (< 30 days, 41 patients), and 94% late patency (6 to 20 months, mean 14 months, 30/32 patients). This study suggests the RA can be used safely as an alternative to saphenous vein in coronary bypass surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Cardiochirurgia, Università G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calafiore
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teodori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Giammarco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Annunzio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vitolla
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maddestra
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000637:transplantation*