title: Recycling of arterial grafts during reoperative coronary artery operations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To overcome problems of lack of conduit and to maximize the number of arterial anastomoses in coronary reoperations we reused previously placed arterial grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients were identified from February 1994 to July 1997. Mean age was 62.8 years (range, 44 to 75 years). Fifteen (94%) were in Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class III or IV. The mean interval from primary to secondary operation was 8.5 years (range, 3 to 12 years). Eleven patients had a patent internal mammary artery graft used as the recipient for a proximal Y anastomosis. In 3 cases an arterial graft was reimplanted distally on the same coronary vessel and in 2 onto different coronary vessels. One patient had a combination of these techniques. Five patients required venous conduit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no deaths. Mean length of intensive care stay was 69 hours (range, 24 to 144) and mean hospital stay was 14 days (range, 10 to 28 days). All patients were discharged home. Follow-up averages 13 months (range, 2 to 43 months). Twelve patients (75%) are now in Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class I and 3 (19%) in class II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reusing arterial conduits during coronary reoperations is possible with minimal in-hospital morbidity and satisfactory results in terms of freedom from angina. Using these techniques can help overcome the problems of inadequate conduit and maximize the number of arterial anastomoses that can be made per patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Noirhomme
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Underwood
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: El Khoury
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Glineur
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: d'Udekem
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dion
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D012086:Reoperation