The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Aug 2013
Review Meta AnalysisAngiographic outcomes of radial artery versus saphenous vein in coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The efficacy of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for patients with ischemic heart disease is dependent on the patency of the selected conduit. The left internal thoracic artery is considered to be the best conduit for CABG. However, the preferred conduit between the radial artery (RA) and saphenous vein (SV) remains controversial. The present meta-analysis aims to establish the current level IA evidence on patency outcomes comparing the RA and SV. ⋯ While acknowledging the limitations of heterogeneous surgical techniques, results from the present meta-analysis suggest potential superiority of the RA compared with the SV at midterm angiographic follow-up. However, the increased incidence of string sign associated with the RA is of potential clinical concern. Further research should be directed at correlating angiographic findings of string sign and graft failure to clinical symptoms and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at long-term follow-up.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Aug 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyAn open randomized controlled trial of median sternotomy versus anterolateral left thoracotomy on morbidity and health care resource use in patients having off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: the Sternotomy Versus Thoracotomy (STET) trial.
Our objective was to compare off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery carried out via a left anterolateral thoracotomy (ThoraCAB) or via a conventional median sternotomy (OPCAB). ⋯ ThoraCAB resulted in no overall clinical benefit relative to OPCAB.