Clinical results with left axillary to left anterior descending coronary artery bypass

The minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass procedure is not feasible if the left internal mammary artery has been used or has inadequate flow. We have applied a modified minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass procedure, which uses a graft from the left axillary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery in such situations.

The graft is anastomosed to the left axillary artery adjacent to the clavicle and tunneled underneath the vein, where it enters the thorax through the first interspace and courses to the left anterior descending coronary artery along the mediastinum.

Since 1997 we have used this operation in 22 patients with a mean age of 70 years (range, 52 to 83 years). All patients were high-risk candidates because of advanced age (70 +/- 7 years), depressed left ventricular function (mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 38% +/- 6%), or previous heart operation (20 of 22, 91%). Conduits for the graft were saphenous vein (n = 18) or radial artery (n = 4). Ten patients were extubated in the operating room, and the mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 5.8 +/- 6 hours. There was one operative death (1 of 22, 4.5%). The mean length of intensive care unit and hospital stay was 1.5 days (range, 1 to 6 days) and 6 days (range, 2 to 15 days), respectively. At a mean follow-up of 6 months, all discharged patients are alive and functionally improved. None have required surgical or catheter-based revascularization of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

The left axillary artery to left anterior descending coronary artery graft should be considered for high-risk patients in whom a minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass procedure is not possible.