Impact of Conventional Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Left Internal Mammary Artery Graft Disease

Background:The development of atherosclerosis was considered as the common cause of the stenosis of coronary artery grafts. Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was the best artery graft for further effectiveness of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We sought to assess the impact of known conventional cardiovascular risk factors (RFs) on LIMA graft stenosis.Methods:A retrospective study including 618 participants, who had recurrence of chest pain after CABG, aged ≥18 years, hospitalized for coronary angiography in Beijing Anzhen hospital between 2010 and 2017 was performed. All the participants were confirmed to have LIMA graft. Multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between conventional RFs and LIMA graft stenosis.Results:Of the study, 220 (35.6%) participants continued to smoke, 504 (81.6%) were overweight or obese, and 411 (66.5%) and 242 (39.2%) reported concomitant hypertension and diabetes, respectively. LIMA graft stenosis occurred in 161 participants (26.1%). Postoperative smoking, a CABG duration of ≥10 years and hyperglycemia without diabetes had an increased risk of LIMA graft stenosis, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.86 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26–2.78], 2.24 (95%CI:1.33–3.478), and 2.44(95% CI:1.39–4.32), respectively. Statin use (OR, 0.28; 95% CI: 0.25–0.5) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 1.8 mmol/L (OR, 0.27; 95% CI: 0.14–0.53) had a significantly decreased risk of LIMA graft stenosis. While, only 15.4% (95/618) achieved the target LDL-C level.Conclusions:Postoperative smoking and hyperglycemia without diabetes had an increased risk of LIMA graft stenosis. Statin use and LDL-C <1.8 mmol/L decreased the risk.

Comparison Between Saphenous Vein Graft and Radial Artery Graft in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Background: To bypass the obstruction in native coronary arteries both arterial and venous grafts are used. Inspite of having radial artery graft as a favored second conduit for bypass, venous grafts are more frequently used. Objective: To compare the CT angiography patency findings of radial artery graft vs. saphenous vein graft 3 months postoperatively. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Settings: The study was conductedat the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Data Collection: All patients fulfilling theinclusioncriteria were recruited. A written informed consentwastaken. The non-dominant arm was used almostexclusively forharvesting the radial artery in those patients who have positive modified Allen`s test as a pedicle by atraumatic "no-touch" technique. After heparanization, it was immersed in diluted solution (Inj. verapamil hydrochloride 5mg + Inj. nitroglycerin 2.5mg + Inj. heparin 500 IU + Inj. ringer lactate 300 ml with Inj. 8.4% NaHCO3 0.9 m1). All the patients in the study received LIMA to LAD and were done on pump. After that the patients were dividedinto2 groups namely Group I and Group II by computer generated method. In Group I, the patient received the radial artery as a second graft to a coronary having more than 90% stenosis. The third or fourth graft if required is saphenous vein graft. The group II had SVG as second, third or fourth grafts, one of the venous grafts were to a coronary having more than 90% stenosis. Results: Average age of all (n=62) patients was 38.82±9.93 years. Average age in Group-I & II patients was 39.09±9.49 & 38.54±10.50 years respectively. Among patients 47% were male and 53% were female patients. In Group-I, 12 (38.7%) of the patients were male, and 19 (67.3%) were female, whereas in Group-II, 17 (54.8%) of the patients were male, and 14 (45.8%) were female. In Group-I 1(3.2%) patient and in Group-II 3(9.7%) patients died (p=0.301). Insignificant difference was seen for cardiac arrhythmias i.e. Group-I:16.1% vs. Group-II: 19.4%, p=0.740. Myocardial infarction in Group-A 5(16.1%) patients and in Group-B 7(22.6%) (p=0.520). In Group-A, 30(96.8%) patients and in Group-B, 28(90.3%) patients showed patency of artery after coronary artery bypass grafting(P>0.05). Conclusion: We discovered no significant difference in the patency of both radial artery and saphenous vein grafts on 3 months postoperative CT angiography and clinical outcomes in terms of perioperative mortality, MI, and cardiac arrhythmias in patients who underwent CABG in this study. Keywords: radial artery graft, saphenous vein graft, coronary artery bypass grafting, Myocardial Infarction, Mortality, Cardiac arrhythmias

Surgical treatment of a giant aneurysm of the left anterior descending artery presenting with ischemia

A 70-year-old man presented to our hospital with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and severely depressed left ventricular systolic function. Coronary angiogram revealed a giant fusiform aneurysm of the proximal left anterior descending artery with significant stenoses immediately proximal and distal to it and a left circumflex chronic total occlusion. The patient was treated surgically, with ligation and bypass of the aneurysm using a radial artery graft and a vein graft to the first obtuse marginal branch.

Influence of the femoral artery-graft junction patient-specific geometry on blood flow structure and wall shear stress

The paper presents a comparative numerical study of pulsatory blood flow in five patient-specific models of femoral-popliteal artery anastomosis. Three-dimensional geometric models of a proximal junction of the common femoral artery/graft were constructed on the bases of CT angiography. The influence of junction geometry on the blood flow and wall shear stress is analyzed. The ratio of the measured CFA and graft diameters and the junction angle are considered as the major geometrical parameters. Numerically calculated velocity fields are analyzed, and stagnant zones in the anastomoses flow are identified. Time-averaged distributions of wall shear stress and oscillatory shear index obtained for five patient-specific model are compared.

Numerical simulation of the branching blood flow in a model of the femoral artery-graft junction

Annotation The results of numerical simulation of pulsating blood flow in a three-dimensional model of the femoral artery-graft junction are presented. The study is focused on the influence of the flow rates ratio in two branches of the branching flow on the location and size of the recirculation flow areas in the shunt and in the common femoral artery, with an emphasis on the analysis of the anastomotic zone. Areas with small values of the cycle-averaged shear stresses and increased values of the shear stress oscillation index, potentially dangerous from the point of view of the neointima growth in the shunt, are identified.

Successful shrinkage of anterior communicating artery aneurysm after ACA–ACA bypass with interposed occipital artery graft in pediatric moyamoya disease: illustrative case

BACKGROUND Selecting therapeutic options for moyamoya disease (MMD)-associated anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm, a rare pathology in children, is challenging because its natural course remains unclear. OBSERVATIONS A 4-year-old boy exhibiting transient ischemic attacks was diagnosed with unilateral MMD accompanied by an unruptured ACoA aneurysm. Although superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery anastomosis eliminated his symptoms, the aneurysm continued to grow after surgery. Since a previous craniotomy and narrow endovascular access at the ACoA precluded both aneurysmal clipping and coil embolization, the patient underwent a surgical anastomosis incorporating an occipital artery graft between the bilateral cortical anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs). This was intended to augment blood flow in the ipsilateral ACA territory and to reduce the hemodynamic burden on the ACoA complex. The postoperative course was uneventful, and radiological images obtained 12 months after surgery revealed good patency of the bypass and marked shrinkage of the aneurysm in spite of the intact contralateral internal carotid artery. LESSONS Various clinical scenarios should be assessed carefully with regard to this pathology. Bypass surgery aimed at reducing flow to the aneurysm might be an alternative therapeutic option when neither coiling nor clipping is feasible.

Kommerell's diverticulum of retroesophageal aberrant brachiocephalic artery with right aortic arch in an adult

A retroesophageal aberrant brachiocephalic artery is a very rare congenital aortic arch anomaly. We herein presented a 29-year-old man with right aortic arch, retroesophageal aberrant left brachiocephalic artery, left ligamentum arteriosus, and absent left internal carotid artery. Graft replacement of the descending aorta and anatomical reconstruction of left brachiocephalic artery was successfully performed using a midline sternotomy approach without blood transfusion. We discuss the surgical management for Kommerell's diverticulum.