Pre-existing vascular disease in the radial artery and other coronary artery bypass conduits.
BACKGROUND
There is increasing interest in the radial artery (RA) as a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). However, few studies have examined the prevalence of pre-existing disease in this vessel.


METHODS
Histological specimens from 177 RA were compared with 168 of internal mammary artery (IMA) and 86 of long saphenous vein (LSV) from the same patients undergoing CABG. The degree of stenosis, active atheroma, intimal thickening, and medial hyaline sclerosis was assessed. -


RESULTS
99% of IMAs, 98% of RAs and 100% of SVs had less than 30% stenosis. 91% of IMAs, 42% of RAs and 70% of SVs had less than 5% stenosis. Medial sclerosis was present in 10% of IMAs, 36% of LSVs and 46% of RAs. Medial calcification was present in 9% of RAs, 1% of LSVs and not in IMAs.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of conduits did not have evidence of severe disease. There is an increased prevalence of mild intimal thickening, medial sclerosis and medial calcification in RAs compared with IMAs and LSVs. The implications for longer-term graft patency are uncertain.
Kane-ToddHall
S M
SM
University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Pathology and Bacteriology,England.
Taggart
S P
SP
Clements-Jewery
H
H
Roskell
D E
DE
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*