title: [The effect of radial artery on coronary bypass surgery in patients aged 65 years and older].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of autologous radial artery (RA) on coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the elderly aged 65 years and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundreds and twenty-two patients aged 65 years and older underwent CABG with autologous RA from January 2000 to March 2007. Peri-operative complication and mortality were observed and follow-up was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundreds and forty-four RA grafts including 300 cases of single and 22 cases of bilateral RA were collected. The total number of distal anastomosis was 974, with the mean of (3.0 +/- 0.4). The mean of RA distal anastomosis was (1.1 +/- 0.4). There were 321 single, 16 Y or T composite and 7 sequential grafts of RA constructed. The distal end of RA was anastomosed to right coronary artery system for 234 times, to obtuse marginal for 95 times, to diagonal or intermediate ramous artery for 22 times. The proximal end of RA was anastomosed to aorta for 328 times, to left internal mammary artery for 9 times and to saphenous vein for 7 times. Only 13 patients manifested transient paresthesia in the area of radial aspect of thumb and no other complication occurred in the forearm. During hospitalization, 7 patients died. No patient died after the follow-up of (46.5 +/- 6.7) months. Seventy-three patients were performed with coronary angiography postoperatively. It was showed by coronary angiography that all RA conduits were patent after the duration of (47.5 +/- 11.2) months after CABG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Utilization of RA to CABG in the elderly is safe and effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China. chenstan@163.com
authors.forename: Xu-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Da-lian
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lu-hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Fu-sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome