title: Midterm results of free internal thoracic artery grafting for myocardial revascularization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the midterm results after free internal thoracic artery (FITA) grafting for coronary artery bypass grafting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1988 and 1995, coronary artery bypass grafting and postoperative graft angiography were performed in 337 patients, of whom 56 patients were treated with 57 FITA grafts. We examined the postoperative graft patency of FITA grafts compared with in situ internal thoracic artery (IITA) grafts, and the late results in the patients receiving at least one FITA graft (FITA group) were compared with those in the patients receiving only IITA graft (IITA group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The early postoperative graft patency rate was 93.2% for the FITA grafts and 96.0% for the IITA grafts (not significant [NS]). Patients underwent sequential graft angiography at 29.5 months postoperatively (25 FITA and 89 IITA). The late graft patency rate was 100% and 92.1%, respectively (not significant). The cardiac death-free survival rate at 5 years was 93.5% in the FITA group and 96.6% in the IITA group (not significant), and the angina-free survival rate at 5 years was 80.6% and 83.2%, respectively (not significant).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FITA provides late results comparable with those attained with IITA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Fukuoka School of Medicine, Jonanku, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sukehiro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shibano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motomura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000601:surgery; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006324:Heart Arrest, Induced; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000637:transplantation*; D014654:Vascular Patency