CURRENT EXPERIENCE WITH ARTERIAL BYPASS G RAFTS FOR MYOCARDIAL REVASCULARIZATION

A considerable amount of experience has been accumulated with arterial bypass grafting of the coronary arteries. Long-term results with the internal mammary artery grab have demonstrated that atheromatous compl ications are rare, permeability rate is high, post-operative cardiac e vents unusual and survival improved. These excellent results have enco uraged wide use of arterial grafts and incited surgeons to try increas ing the number of bypasses with arterial grafts.Current research is ai med at determining the beneficial effect of bilateral grafting and ext ensive use of the mammary artery with sequential and Y anastomoses. Ot her analogous arteries, used in situ or as free grafts. The most promi sing results have been obtained with the gastro-epiploic, the epigastr ic and the radial artery. Long-term results in patients with venous gr afts alone demonstrate that in the future myocardial revascularization surgery will be based on the use of arterial grafts although a consen sus on the exact nature and strategy of the operation remains to be es tablished.