Bypass to the distal right coronary artery using in situ gastroepiploic artery.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using the in situ gastroepiploic artery (GEA) exclusively bypassing to the distal right coronary artery (RCA).

METHODS

Between, 1991 and 2002, 1020 consecutive patients (788 male and 232 female with a mean age of 63.6 +/- 9.7) underwent CABG to the distal coronary artery using in situ GEA in the Shin-Tokyo Hospital Group. Their perioperative and follow-up data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The in-hospital morbidity rate was 15.1% and the mortality rate was 0.6%. Postoperative myocardial infarction associated with GEA graft failure occurred in two cases. Among the survivors, follow-up was completed in all patients with a mean period of 4.7 +/- 2.4 years. Actuarial 3- and 5-year angina or intervention-free rates were 93.6% and 89.9%, respectively. Actuarial 3- and 5-year survival rates were 95.8% and 91.6%, respectively. Postoperative angiography was performed on 482 patients within 1 year, 115 patients with 3 years, and in 87 patients more than 4 year after surgery. The GEA patency rates at 1, 3, and 5-year were 95.7%, 90.2%, and 85.7%, respectively. These patency rates were compared with other graft materials (the saphenous vein n = 291, radial artery n = 186, and right internal thoracic artery n = 23) used for bypass to the distal RCA, and we found no significant differences (p = 0.29).

CONCLUSION

The perioperative and clinical remote results of GEA grafting were satisfactory. The angiographic patency rates of GEA to the distal RCA was not inferior to the saphenous vein graft in this study.