[CABG operation with sequential bypass using arterial grafts]

We evaluated 39 cases where sequential anastomoses had been performed using arterial graft (AG) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Fourty three AGs were used, and anastomosed to 87 coronary arterial branches. The details of these anastomoses were: 25 right gastroepiploic arteries (RGEA) to 51 branches; 10 left internal thoracic arteries (LITA) to 20 branches; 8 right internal thoracic arteries (RITA) to 16 branches. The interrupted suture was employed for all anastomoses. The proxymal site was initially anastomosed in the parallel way to a native coronary artery, and then, the distal anastomosis was done. In CABG using RGEA, the number of cases receiving anastomoses to RCA and LCX was the largest as in 13 cases, and the patent rate was favorable. There were also 8 cases of anastomoses to LAD and Dx and these GEA'S grafts were all patent. But, in the 2 cases of astomoses to RCA and LAD, the GEA's grafts between RCA and LAD were occluded. Therefore, this combination was thought to be inadequate for sequential hypass. On the other hand, in the 10 cases using LITA, these grafts were all anastomosed to LCA system, and were all patent. In the 8 cases using RITA, 4 in-situ grafts and 4 free grafts were employed. There were 3 anastomoses to LAD and D1 in the former, and 2 cases each of anastomoses to LAD and D1, and LCx (segment 12) in the latter. The patency was excellent, 100%. Although there were 1 case of post-operative early death (renal failure) and 1 case of remote death (cerebral infarction), they were found not due to arterial sequential bypass. In the 37 cases of post-operative angiography, patency was recognized in 40 AGs out of the 41 (97.6%) and 78 anastomosed branches out of the 83 (94.0%). These satisfactory findings indicate that it is possible and effective to perform sequential bypass in multivessel GABG using AG.