Objectives: Saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) most often used in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are subject to graft disease and have poor long-term patency, however the clinical implication of this is not completely known. We aim to assess the influence of graft failure on the postoperative recurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) symptoms in relation to the contribution from progression of atherosclerosis in the native coronary vessels.

Design: Within the SWEDEHEART registry we identified 46,663 CABG cases between 2001 and 2015 with patient age 40-80 years where single internal mammary artery (IMA) anastomosis (IMA), single IMA with one (1SVG) or multiple SVG anastomoses (2+ SVG) had been performed. Clinical characteristics as well as mortality and postoperative incidence of coronary angiography were recorded and multivariable adjusted hazard ratios were calculated. Indications for the angiographies and occurrence of graft failure were also registered.

Results: The adjusted hazard ratio for death was similar for the three groups. The adjusted hazard ratio for being submitted to angiography as compared to 2+ SVG was (95% CI) 1.24 (1.06-1.46) for IMA and 1.21 (1.15-1.28) for 1SVG. Failed grafts were found at the first postoperative angiography with preceding CAD symptoms in 21.4% of patients in the IMA group, 41.6% in the 1SVG group and 61.1% in the 2+ SVG group.

Conclusions: A substantial amount of angiographies occur in patients without any graft failure and a large part of postoperative recurrence of CAD symptoms and are likely attributed to IMA failure or progression of atherosclerosis in the native coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVES: Coronary artery bypass grafting using saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) in addition to the left internal mammary artery (IMA) graft is vitiated by poor long-term patency of the vein grafts. Hypothetically, the increased use of arterial grafts could confer even better outcomes. Our goal was to evaluate results after coronary artery bypass grafting in Sweden, where arterial grafts were used as a second conduit.

METHODS: Within the Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART) registry, we identified patients who had coronary artery bypass grafting from 2001 to 2015 using the IMA and the SVG, the radial artery (RA) or the additional IMA [bilateral IMA (BIMA)] as a second conduit. Deaths, postoperative incidence of coronary angiography and need for reintervention were recorded, and multivariable adjusted hazard ratios were calculated for different types of grafts.

RESULTS: The study population comprised 45 319 cases of IMA + SVG, 1225 cases of IMA + RA and 1697 cases of BIMA. The mean follow-up time (SD) was 9.2 (4.2) years for IMA + SVG, 11.2 (4.0) years for IMA + RA grafts and 9.2 (5.2) years for the BIMA graft. The adjusted hazard ratio for death was (95% confidence interval) 1.06 (0.95-1.18) for IMA + RA and 1.21 (1.10-1.33) for BIMA grafts compared with IMA + SVG. The adjusted hazard ratio for the first angiographic examination was (95% confidence interval) 0.89 (0.78-1.01) for IMA + RA and 1.07 (0.96-1.20) for BIMA grafts. The adjusted hazard ratio for the need for reintervention was (95% confidence interval) 0.88 (0.74-1.04) for IMA + RA and 1.14 (0.98-1.32) for BIMA grafts.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had arterial grafts as second conduits did not demonstrate a better outcome in any of the studied end-points. Radial artery grafts seem to be preferable to BIMA grafts as an alternative to an SVG.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using saphenous vein grafts (SVG) is vitiated by poor long-term patency of the vein grafts. Pedicled SVG harvested with the "no-touch" (NT) technique have demonstrated improved patency and could confer better outcomes. We aim to compare long-term results after CABG where NT or conventional technique was used for vein graft harvesting in a hypothesis-generating registry-based study.

METHODS: Two propensity score matched cohorts (1349 patients) undergoing CABG with veins harvested with NT (NTT) or conventional (CT) technique in Sweden over the period 2005-2015 were used to compare long-term outcomes. Mortality, postoperative incidence of coronary angiography and need for reintervention was recorded and multivariable hazard ratios adjusted for risk factors were calculated.

RESULTS: The mean follow-up time (SD) was 6.8 (3.3) years for NTT and 6.6 (3.2) years for CT. The adjusted hazard ratios for death, first angiography and need for reintervention for NTT patients were (95% CI) 0.97 (0.80-1.19), 0.76 (0.63-0.93), 0.91 (0.78-1.05), and 0.91 (0.71-1.17), respectively. Failed grafts were found in 43.2% of NTT patients and 53.6% of CT patients at angiography.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study NT grafting was associated with a lower risk for repeat angiography, however no difference could be observed for mortality and need for reintervention. The earlier reported improvements in patency of NT veins could possibly be reflected in an improved clinical outcome during the first 10 years after surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Coronary endarterectomy (CE) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is occasionally required to achieve revascularization in diffusely diseased vessels. Its beneficial effect has been questioned because of an increased risk of perioperative mortality and morbidity; however, its influence on the long-term outcome remains uncertain. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of adjunct CE on the incidence of a first postoperative angiogram and the need for repeat intervention and on late deaths after CABG.

METHODS: Two propensity-matched cohorts of patients undergoing CABG with CE (537 patients) and without adjunct CE (no CE) (537 patients) in Sweden over the period 2000-2015 were used to compare long-term outcomes. Mortality rates, postoperative incidence of coronary angiography and the need for reintervention were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS: The mean follow-up time (standard deviation) was 9.9 (4.6) years for CE and 10.0 (4.6) years for no CE. Overall survival, clinically driven angiography and coronary reintervention during follow-up (95% confidence interval) at 10 years were 65.8% (60.8-70.3), 28.2% (23.8-34.3) and 11.6% (8.7-15.3), respectively, for CE and 70.7% (65.9-74.9), 21.7% (17.8-26.3) and 12.7% (9.7-16.6), respectively, for no CE. There was a significant difference in the use of postoperative angiography between the 2 groups (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: Although patients are subjected to an increased risk of repeat angiography, CE seems to be an acceptable treatment alternative in patients who have diffuse coronary artery disease that cannot be treated effectively by CABG alone.