Heart Surgery - Surgical Spectrum
Coronary Surgery - Arterial Revascularization
The aim of coronary surgery is to bypass narrowed segments in the coronary arteries. Traditionally, veins have been taken from the legs and used as bypass. Unfortunately, veins are associated with an early occlusion rate of about 10 to 15 %. About 70 % of the veins have re-occluded ten years after the operation. We therefore always use arterial bypass grafts for the coronary operations performed in our hospital. The occlusion rate of arterial grafts such as the internal thoracic artery is less than 5 % ten years after the operation.
In our hospital we routinely apply the concept of total arterial revascularization using internal thoracic arteries or the radial artery. Other arteries such as the right gastroepiploic are rarely used.
Using both internal thoracic arteries, it is possible to revascularize the whole heart by performing a socalled T-graft where the right internal thoracic artery is sutured to the left in an end-to-side operation. The right internal thoracic artery is then used to revascularize the coronary arteries at the dorsum of the heart, while the left one is used for the arteries at the front.
Further information on this subject can be found under Therapy Practices
For further details please see the Guidebook for Patients
"Operation am Herzen - Herzkranzgefäße".
Heart operations - coronary arteries
