[The history and evolution of coronary artery bypass grafting]

It is nearly 40 years since the introduction of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in humans. A. Carrel (1910) attempted the first CABG in animals and G. Murray (1954) succeeded in performing experimental CABG using the internal mammary artery (IMA). The first reported CABG using the IMA in humans was performed by R. Goetz using the sutureless technique in 1960. V. Kolessov (1964) performed the first sutured bypass grafting using the IMA. From 1962 to 1967, human CABG using autogenous saphenous vein grafts was performed by D. Sabiston (1962). H. Garrett (1964), D. Kahn (1966), and R. Favaloro (1967). Saphenous vein grafting became the most common CABG technique for the next two decades. In Japan, Y. Sezai et al. performed CABG using the free femoral artery, we performed CABG using the IMA, and S. Asada et al. performed CABG using the saphenous vein in 1970. In 1986, F. Loop et al. reported that the long-term survival rate of CABG was significantly higher when the IMA rather than the saphenous vein was used. IMA grafting, supplemented by the gastroepiploic artery, inferior epigastric artery, and radial artery, has enabled complete arterial revascularization to be performed in almost all patients. In the graft selection for CABG, the first choice is the left IMA and the second choice is the right IMA. The third choice is the gastroepiploic artery and/or radial artery, depending on the target anastomotic site, degree of stenosis, size of the distal graft, and in situ or free use.