Fig 1.
Flow diagram of the study population.
Fig 2.
Procedural sequences for each grafting strategy.
(A) Y-composite grafting strategy, and (B) aortocoronary grafting strategy. D, diagonal branch; LAD, left anterior descending artery; LITA, left internal thoracic artery; OM, obtuse marginal; PDA, posterior descending artery; SV, saphenous vein.
Fig 3.
Schematic diagram of IVUS evaluation for the composite and aorta groups.
(A) In the Composite group, an IVUS catheter was introduced via the orifice of the LITA, and the proximal part of the Y-composite SV graft 3 cm in length was evaluated. SV grafts within 1 cm of the site of Y-anastomosis were excluded from the IVUS evaluation to avoid interference from suture materials. (B) In the Aorta group, an IVUS catheter was introduced via the orifice of the aortocoronary anastomosis, and the proximal part of the aortocoronary SV graft 3 cm in length was evaluated. SV grafts within 1 cm of the aortocoronary anastomosis were excluded from the IVUS evaluation to avoid the interference of suture materials.
Fig 4.
IVUS evaluation of SV grafts in the composite and aorta groups.
(A) Graft angiogram in the composite group, (B) IVUS image in the composite group, (C) graft angiogram in the aorta group, and (D) IVUS image in the aorta group. IVUS evaluation demonstrated comparable intima-media thickness between the 2 groups, without any neointimal hyperplasia in either group.
Table 1.
Preoperative characteristics and risk factors of the study patients.
Table 2.
Location of the harvested saphenous vein.
Table 3.
Comparison of the numbers of distal anastomoses between the 2 groups.
Table 4.
Comparison of early clinical outcomes between the 2 groups.
Table 5.
Comparison of 1-year angiographic patency rates between the 2 groups.
Table 6.
Comparison of IVUS measurements for SV grafts 1 year after CABG between the 2 groups.
Table 7.
Comparison of IVUS measurements for LITA grafts 1 year after CABG between the 2 groups.
Table 8.
Comparison of QCA measurements for LITA and SV grafts at early and 1-year angiographic evaluation after CABG between the 2 groups.
Fig 5.
Changes in luminal diameter from early angiograms to 1-year angiograms (A) in SV grafts and (B) in LITA grafts analyzed by QCA.