title: Does bilateral ITA grafting increase perioperative complications? Outcome of 4462 patients with bilateral versus 4204 patients with single ITA bypass.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Superior patency of internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafting to saphenous veins is conclusive. The aim of the present study was to compare the early outcome of patients receiving either bilateral ITA (BITA) or single ITA (SITA) grafts and to identify risk factors for perioperative complications, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, or advanced age.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 8666 patients with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, including emergent cases or redos) operated between January 1994 and June 2004 receiving either BITA (n=4462) or SITA (n=4204) grafting were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic data were comparable for both groups concerning mean age (65.3+/-9.4 years vs 64.9+/-9.3 years), range (35-89 years (p=0.05)), diabetes incidence (29.3% vs 2.6% (p=0.08)), dialysis-dependent renal failure (0.7% vs 0.6% (p=0.4)), preoperative ejection fraction (EF) mean (61.8% vs 61.2% (p=0.07)) but not for gender (80.4% vs 76.7% males (p=0.00)), body mass index (BMI) mean (27.2+/-3.6 vs 26.9+/-3.5 (p=0.00)), COPD (7.0% vs 8.5% (p=0.00)), and hyperlipidemia (78.3% vs 74.3% (p=0.00)). In the BITA group, right ITA (RITA) was directed preferentially to the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left ITA (LITA) to the lateral wall. In the SITA group, the LAD was revascularized with the left ITA. Additional bypasses were performed with saphenous vein grafts (SVG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of anastomoses was higher in the BITA group (3.8+/-0.9 vs 3.1+/-0.9 (p=0.00)); therefore, duration of surgery (mean: 189+/-46.3 min vs 164+/-46.2 min) and cross-clamp time (62.0+/-17.9 min vs 51.0+/-18.0 min) significantly prolonged (p=0.00). Incidence of rethoracotomy due to bleeding (2.9% vs 0.6%; p=0.00) or sternal refixation with (0.7% vs 0.2%; p=0.00) or without infection (1.4% vs 0.6%; p=0.00) was higher in the BITA group, strongly associated with diabetes mellitus and duration of surgery but not with BMI>27. Thirty-day mortality revealed 2.6% versus 3.2% (p=0.1) but was significantly lower for diabetic patients in the BITA group (3.1% vs 4.7%; p=0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CABG using both ITAs can be performed routinely with good clinical results and low mortality. Compared with single ITA grafting, sternal and bleeding complications were slightly increased. Diabetes mellitus, BITA grafting, duration of surgery but not obesity or COPD could be identified as independent risk factors for sternal complications. Dialysis-dependent renal failure, EF<30%, emergent cases, and the absence of BITA grafting were predictors for increased perioperative mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, City-Hospital Munich-Bogenhausen, Englschalkingerstr. 77, 81925 Munich, Germany. brigitte_gansera@web.de
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gansera
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmidtler
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gillrath
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Angelis
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wenke
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weingartner
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yönden
authors.forename: Bernhard Michael
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kemkes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome