Coronary surgery - Arterial revascularisation In the context of stenosis of the coronary arteries an alternate or additional route for blood flow is created through bypass surgery. Traditionally the vein used is taken from the lower or upper thigh of the patient. Veins, however, have a tendency to develop early occlusion (10-15%). After 10 years, approximately 70% are occluded again. Therefore, our clinic uses, whenever possible, arteries instead of veins. Here the occlusio rate after 10 years, for example in the chest wall artery, is only about 5%. We strive to use either the radial artery or the internal thoracic arteries in our clinic. The goal is complete arterial revascularisation. Other arteries, like the gastroepiploic artery, are seldom used. In the so called T-graft operation, the anterior and anterolateral areas of the heart are by-passed with the left internal thoracic artery and the inferolateral, inferior and posterior areas are by-passed with the right internal thoracic artery. Source: MediClin Herzzentrum Lahr/Baden
See also
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