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Effect of skeletonizing dissection on the internal thoracic artery
1The Hope Heart Institute, Seattle, Washington 98122, USA.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
|May 16, 1998
Summary
Skeletonizing the internal thoracic artery (ITA) for coronary bypass grafting does not harm its structure or viability. This surgical technique preserves ITA integrity, making it safe for myocardial revascularization procedures.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Vascular Biology
- Surgical Anatomy
Background:
- Skeletonization of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) is performed to increase graft length for coronary bypass surgery.
- The study investigated the impact of ITA skeletonization on its wall morphology, histology, and tissue viability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the morphological and histological effects of ITA skeletonization.
- To evaluate the tissue viability of the skeletonized ITA wall.
- To determine the safety of ITA skeletonization for coronary artery bypass grafting.
Main Methods:
- Unilateral ITA dissection in mongrel dogs, with the contralateral ITA serving as control.
- Histological analysis of ITA tissue blocks at 3 and 12 weeks post-dissection.
- Comparison of ITA wall integrity between skeletonized and control vessels.
Main Results:
- No gross injury, adventitial hematoma, or bleeding observed in skeletonized ITAs.
- Microscopic examination revealed intact and normal ITA wall structures.
- Histological data showed no significant differences between control and skeletonized ITAs.
Conclusions:
- Careful skeletonizing dissection of the ITA is not detrimental to its integrity.
- The findings support the use of skeletonized ITAs for myocardial revascularization.
- Surgical technique preserves vascular integrity for enhanced bypass grafting outcomes.