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Radial Artery Versus Saphenous Vein Grafts in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: a Literature Review

  • Ischemic Heart Disease (D Mukherjee, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Cardiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Coronary artery bypass grafting is a preferred strategy for complete coronary revascularization in patients who have multi-vessel coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction, and/or diabetes. Both arterial (internal thoracic artery/radial artery) and venous grafts are utilized to bypass the obstruction in native vessels. Despite having radial arterial grafts as a preferred second conduit for bypass, venous grafts are more commonly used.

Recent Findings

We review the existing literature and report the preferred conduit based on a recently published meta-analysis of 6 randomized controlled trials. The analysis concluded that radial artery grafts are associated with fewer adverse cardiac events and better graft patency at 5 years of follow-up.

Summary

Although saphenous vein grafting is the most commonly used conduit in addition to ITA, current data suggests that total arterial bypass (using RA conduit in addition to ITA) may be the better strategy. Both the US and European consensus guidelines advocate for the use of arterial over SV grafting for most patients.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Einstein healthcare Network, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk

  2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Vladimir Lakhter

  3. Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Health system, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Muhammad Ahmed

  4. Temple Heart and Vascular Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Brian O’ Murchu

  5. Division of Cardiology, Hoffman Heart Institute, St Francis Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA

    Saurav Chatterjee

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  1. Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk
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  2. Vladimir Lakhter
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Correspondence to Saurav Chatterjee.

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Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Vladimir Lakhter, Muhammad Ahmed, Brian O′ Murchu, and Saurav Chatterjee declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk and Vladimir Lakhter share the first authorship of this paper.

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Virk, H.U.H., Lakhter, V., Ahmed, M. et al. Radial Artery Versus Saphenous Vein Grafts in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: a Literature Review. Curr Cardiol Rep 21, 36 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-019-1112-1

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