Right gastroepiploic artery as a coronary bypass graft

Between November 1987 and April 1988, the right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) was used as a coronary artery bypass graft in 11 patients, 9 men and 2 women. In 1 of them, the GEA was used because no veins were available; in the others, the GEA was used to avoid the use of vein grafts. The GEA was anastomosed to the right coronary artery in all patients, and internal mammary artery grafts were used to bypass the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries. All patients survived the operation. There were no early and, to date, there have been no late complications of the abdominal component of the operation. Postoperative coronary angiography showed a patent right GEA in 9 patients (82%). In 1 patient the GEA was occluded, probably because of an enlarged liver. If the long-term patency of right GEA grafts is similar to that of internal mammary artery grafts, wider use of this viable graft is indicated.