Bilateral internal thoracic artery use for dialysis patients: does it increase operative risk?
BACKGROUND
The efficacy and risk of using the bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) for coronary artery bypass grafting in dialysis patients is virtually unknown.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients on dialysis who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting using the BITA were retrospectively studied (BITA group). For comparison purposes, 52 patients on dialysis who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting using the left ITA were selected (LITA group).


RESULTS
No wound healing problems occurred in the BITA group. Mean postoperative bleeding volume was 1,427 +/- 808 mL and 800 +/- 508 mL in the BITA and LITA groups, respectively (p = 0.00009). Blood transfusions for the BITA and LITA groups required an average of 6.8 and 6.2 units of packed red blood cells, respectively, with no significant difference. Five patients in the BITA group (20%) showed severe atherosclerotic deterioration of the ascending aorta, precluding clamping. Hospital mortality was 4% (1 of 25 patients) in the BITA group and 7.7% (4 of 52 patients) in the LITA group, with no significant difference (p = 0.49).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients on dialysis, especially those with severe atherosclerotic or calcified deterioration of the ascending aorta, coronary artery bypass grafting using BITA grafting (arterial in situ conduits) may offer the easiest and most suitable solution without increased operative risk.
Nakayama
Y
Y
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kumamoto Central Hospital, Japan.
Sakata
R
R
Ura
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors