Journal of Vascular Medicine & Surgery

Abstract

A Decade of Insights into Long-Term Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting using Arterial Graft: A Mini-Review

Tetsuma Oyama, Kan Kajimoto*

Coronary artery bypass grafting is a widely adopted surgical intervention for coronary artery disease and arterial graft selection significantly impacts long-term outcomes. While the Internal Thoracic Artery (ITA) is established as the gold standard for grafting the left anterior descending artery, the optimal second graft remains controversial. This mini-review critically summarizes recent findings from a study comparing ITA and Radial Artery (RA) grafts for left circumflex artery revascularization over a 10-year follow-up period. The results highlight the superiority of ITA over RA in long-term mortality, particularly after adjusting for baseline differences in patient characteristics through propensity score matching. We also review the contemporary literature and examine the potential mechanisms underlying the differential outcomes, including graft patency and risk factors such as diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. The findings emphasize the need for long-term follow-up and further research to optimize graft selection, particularly in high-risk populations.

Published Date: 2024-11-05; Received Date: 2024-10-03