title: [Coronary surgery--arterial grafts instead of venous grafts?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recurrence of symptoms and the need for repeat interventions remains a clinical challenge following coronary artery bypass surgery, despite excellent early results. Saphenous vein graft failure has been identified as a main contributing factor to unsatisfactory long-term results. The use of multiple arterial grafts instead of venous grafts appears to be a promising treatment modality. This article describes our own experience with arterial revascularisation and gives a critical review of the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extended arterial revascularisation was performed in 30 patients at our institution between 1998 and 2001. Clinical follow-up was performed in all patients; re-angiography was done in six patients. 23 patients were operated on with bilateral mammary arteries; 11 patients received radial artery grafts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow up was 12 months. All patients are alive, none suffered a new myocardial infarction. Our results are in accordance with the published literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arterial grafting is a valuable tool in the armamentarium of modern coronary artery bypass surgery. Large randomised trials are required to clarify the role of extended arterial grafting in routine coronary bypass surgery.
authors: Hjerteklinikken St. Elisabeth 7018 Trondheim. alexander.wahba@rit.no
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Wahba
authors: Ole
authors: O
authors: Tjomsland
authors: Rune
authors: R
authors: Haaverstad
authors: Asbjørn
authors: A
authors: Karevold
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000637:transplantation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome