POTENTIAL USE OF THE INTERCOSTAL ARTERY AS AN IN-SITU GRAFT - A CADAVERIC STUDY

The third to eighth intercostal arteries (ICAs) were bilaterally disse cted in 10 cadavers to assess their length and possible routes to coro nary arteries if used as in situ grafts. The mean lengths for the inte rcostal arteries harvested were 27.0 +/- 2.9 cm on the left and 27.4 /- 3.2 cm on the right. The shortest anatomic route to the coronary ar teries of the in situ ICAs harvested was medial to the lung and either superior to or inferior to the hilum. By using either the superior or inferior routes in situ ICAs were long enough to reach the major coro nary artery territories in all cadavers. The most suitable ICAs for gr afting the coronary arteries and the shortest routes were as follows: left anterior descending-left fifth ICA by inferior route; circumflex coronary artery-left fifth ICA by inferior route; and right coronary a rtery-right seventh ICA;by inferior route. We conclude that it is anat omically feasible to use the intercostal artery as an in situ graft in coronary artery operation.