Does bilateral pedicle internal thoracic artery harvest increase the risk of mediastinitis?
OBJECTIVE
Bilateral in situ internal thoracic artery (ITA) bypassing may result in excellent myocardial revascularization without increasing the risk of deep sternal wound infection. Although there have been concerns with the use of pedicled bilateral ITA, the risk of infection may not be greater than the use of skeletonized ITA.


METHODS
The present study was retrospectively undertaken to determine if pedicled BITA grafts are associated with a higher risk of sternal wound complications. A total of 207 patients who underwent bilateral ITA bypasses with or without existing diabetes mellitus, and 162 patients of those received bilateral pedicled ITA and 98 patients received unilateral ITA bypass grafts.


RESULTS
No sternal wound complications were noted in either the bilateral ITA or unilateral left ITA groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral pedicled ITA harvesting was not associated with a greater incidence of infectious sternal complications compared to patients receiving unilateral ITA bypass grafts.
Choo
Suk-Jung
SJ
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Sang-Kwon
SK
Chung
Sung-Woon
SW
Kim
Jong-Won
JW
Sung
Si-Chan
SC
Kim
Young-Dae
YD
Bae
Mi-Ju
MJ
Kim
June-Hong
JH
Chon
Kook-Jin
KJ
Lee
Han-Cheol
HC
D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000637:transplantation*; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013249:Sternum; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data