Does radial artery graft improve graft patency compared to saphenous vein graft in patients undergoing coronary bypass procedures?
Radial artery grafts showed a high rate of early postoperative occlusion compared to saphenous vein grafts, leading to the authors' recommendation against their use for coronary bypass.
Forty-eight radial artery grafts and 22 saphenous vein grafts in 37 patients undergoing coronary bypass procedures were studied early postoperatively. Most of the saphenous vein grafts were patent, but one-half of the radial artery grafts were occluded. Failure of the radial artery grafts could not be attributed to unfavorable runoff in the recipient vessels. Radial arteries carrying higher flows and those to vessels having more severe degrees of proximal stenosis occluded with a higher frequency. The radial artery should not be used for coronary bypass.
Fisk et al. (Tue,) studied this question.