[Clinical evaluation of right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) graft--comparison of RGEA with right internal thoracic artery (RITA) graft in the coronary bypass grafting (CABG) operation using only arterial grafts].

From January, 1990 through May, 1997, 100 CABG operations were conducted using only double arterial grafts. RITA/left internal thoracic artery (LITA) (n = 38) and RGEA/LITA (n = 62) groups were compared. The incidence of left main trunk lesion was higher in the RITA/LITA group (29%: 13%), and old myocardial infarction was greater in RGEA/LITA group (77%: 55%). Mean age in the RGEA/LITA group showed high tendency (66.8 +/- 8.5: 63.9 +/- 9.2). Both groups were essentially the same with respect to sex, poor left ventricular function, pre-operative aortic baloon pumping (IABP), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerevral vascular disease, hyperlipidemia, smoking, pre-operative ejection fraction (EF). Focal skin infection (32%: 6%) and total operative field infection (focal skin infection + mediastinitis) (39%: 8%) were higher in the RITA/LITA group. Operation time (443 +/- 81: 405 +/- 114) and pleural effusion (29%: 15%) showed high tendency in the RGEA/LITA group. Extracorporeal circulation time, aorta cross-clamping time, reoperation due to bleeding, reoperation due to mediastinitis, post-operative IABP, and post-operative EF were the same for the two groups. The difference of survival rate and cardiac event-free rate between two groups were not recognized. The RGEA/LITA group showed lower complication and similar survival rates than the RITA/LITA group. Based on the present results. RGEA may be considered more usefull than RITA.