Sequential versus single aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass techniques.

Operative techniques for sequential and single aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass are presented and compared. There were 2.1 distal anastomoses per patient in the sequential saphenous vein bypass graft (SVBG) group (36 patients) and 2.0 in the single SVBG group (40 patients). There were no differences in total operating time or in cardiopulmonary bypass time. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) in total ischaemic cross-clamping time and in cross-clamping time per anastomosis between the two groups in favour of single SVBG. Graft flow in the sequential SVBG group was superior to that in the single SVBG group (p less than 0.001). The mean total graft flow per heart in the single SVBG group was superior to that in the sequential SVBG group (p less than 0.01).