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Optimization of the Cuff Technique for Murine Heart Transplantation
Published on: June 26, 2020
The cardiovascular system and the biochemistry of grafts used in heart surgery
Suna Aydin1, Suleyman Aydin, Mehmet Nesimi Eren
1Elazig Research and Education Hospital, Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, Elazig, 23119 Turkey ; School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Firat University, Elazig, 23119 Turkey.
Insights
Coronary artery bypass surgery restores heart blood supply using grafts. The internal mammarian artery is now preferred over the great saphenous vein due to lower atherosclerosis recurrence.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Vascular Biology
- Surgical Research
Background:
- Atherosclerosis, characterized by arterial wall thickening and loss of elasticity due to plaque accumulation, impairs cardiac blood supply.
- Coronary arteries deliver blood to the heart muscle; their blockage necessitates interventions like bypass surgery.
- Bypass surgery utilizes biological grafts to restore blood flow, replacing diseased arterial segments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the cardiovascular system and blood vessel structure.
- To present the biochemical compositions of commonly used bypass graft materials.
- To highlight the advantages of different graft materials for restoring heart blood supply.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cardiovascular system and blood vessel structure.
- Analysis of recent data on graft materials' biochemical composition.
- Comparative assessment of graft materials' long-term patency and clinical outcomes.
Main Results:
- The great saphenous vein (GSV) was historically favored but is increasingly replaced by the internal mammarian artery (IMA).
- The IMA demonstrates a lower incidence of atherosclerosis recurrence compared to the GSV.
- Graft materials vary significantly in biochemical makeup, influencing their long-term efficacy.
Conclusions:
- The choice of graft material in coronary artery bypass grafting impacts long-term outcomes.
- The internal mammarian artery offers advantages over the great saphenous vein, particularly regarding restenosis rates.
- Understanding graft biochemistry is crucial for optimizing surgical strategies to restore cardiac blood supply.
Abstract:
Blood is pumped into the cardiac muscle through arteries called the coronary arteries. Over time, the accumulation of cholesterol, coagulation factors, and cells on the walls of these arteries causes the walls to thicken and lose their elasticity, resulting in the development of atherosclerosis. When the blood supply of the heart is diminished by atherosclerosis, it can be restored by bypass surgery, in which atherosclerosis-free vein and/or artery grafts taken from another area of the body are used to replace the atherosclerotic vessels. These biological grafts used in surgery differ in biochemical composition and long-term patency. Although the great saphenous vein (GSV) has been the most popular graft material in revascularization for years, it has recently been superseded by the internal mammarian artery (IMA), which has a lower incidence of recurrence of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present review is briefly to address the structure of the cardiovascular system and blood vessels, and then, in the light recent data, to present the biochemical compositions and individual advantages of the graft materials used to restore an impaired blood supply to the heart.
