G. Khoury et al., RIGHT GASTROEPIPLOIC ARTERY USED AS A PEDICLED GRAFT IN A RETROGRADE FASHION, The Annals of thoracic surgery, 56(4), 1993, pp. 975-977
The right gastroepiploic artery is currently regarded as a most valuab
le arterial conduit for myocardial revascularization. We have document
ed a particular case wherein the proximal (pyloric) part of the right
gastroepiploic artery could not be freed and was damaged because of pr
evious cholecystectomy. The pedicle was divided at the pyloric side an
d raised up to be anastomosed to the posterior descending artery in a
retrograde fashion. The purpose of this report is to emphasize the fac
t that a previous abdominal operation does not necessarily hamper the
use of the gastroepiploic artery as a pedicled graft. It is also point
ed out that retrograde flow in the pedicle was sufficient in this case
to provide good revascularization.