title: Graft failure prior to discharge after coronary artery bypass surgery: a prospective single-centre study using dual 64-slice computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence and predictors of graft failure prior to discharge. Multi-slice computed tomography has the ability to evaluate graft patency in a non-invasive way.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 145 consecutive patients who were screened, 73 were included in the study (78% male, mean age 65 years). A total of 206 grafts were analysed (2.8±0.9 grafts/patient). Of the 206 grafts, 126 were venous, 72 were left internal mammary, five were right internal mammary and three were radial grafts. We evaluated 100% of proximal anastomoses sites and 92% (190/206) of the distal anastomoses. We identified five patients (6.8%) who had at least one occluded graft. A total of seven out of 206 (3.4%) grafts were occluded. Independent predictors of successful graft outcome were left anterior descending artery as a recipient artery, good distal run-off as assessed by a surgeon and vessel size larger than 2 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate that the in-hospital acute graft failure rate is 3.4% (6.8% of patients). Multi-slice computed tomography is a robust technique to assess novel therapies to reduce the rate of graft attrition further, and might be clinically useful in patients with persistent or early recurrence of symptoms after CABG.
authors.affiliation: European Interbalkan Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Chourmouzios A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Arampatzis
authors.forename: Danai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chourmouzi
authors.forename: Glykeria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boulogianni
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pentousis
authors.forename: Stamatia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potsi
authors.forename: Anestis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moumtzouoglou
authors.forename: Elissavet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grammenos
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voucharas
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mpismpos
authors.forename: Eugene P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: McFadden
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drevelengas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000637:transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000637:transplantation; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome