March 23, 2018
View Full PaperCurrent status of intra-operative graft assessment: Should it be the standard of care for coronary artery bypass graft surgery?
Key Result
Intra-operative graft assessment using transit-time flow measurements and epicardial ultrasound accurately assesses short-term graft patency during coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Structured PICO
Does intra-operative graft assessment improve graft patency in patients undergoing CABG surgery?
P
Population
Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
I
Intervention
Intra-operative graft assessment using transit-time flow measurements and epicardial ultrasound
O
Outcome
Graft patencysurrogate
Intra-operative graft assessment using transit-time flow measurements and epicardial ultrasound is essential for determining short-term graft patency and should be considered standard of care during CABG.
Abstract
The "Achilles heel" of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is graft patency. While long-term patency is determined by the type of conduit and the progression of graft and native vessel disease, short-term patency is affected by intra-operative technical issues. Transit-time flow measurements and epicardial ultrasound have been shown to accurately assess intra-operative graft patency. This review will examine the evidence to support the premise that intra-operative graft assessment is essential in determining graft patency and should be the standard of care when performing CABG surgery.