Myocardial revascularization using bilateral mammary arteries.

Background - Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is still one of the most common major cardiac operations in the world. Recent studies confirm that it remains the gold standard for most patients with multivessel and/or left main disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the post operatory differences between the patients that underwent myocardial revascularization using single internal mammary artery (SIMA) and both internal mammary arteries (BIMA). Materials and methods - This study is descriptive retrospective analysis on 267 patients that underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with one or two mammary arteries and saphenous vein graft(s) (SVG). We divided patients in two groups, group 1 (122 patients; 45,69%) included patients that underwent myocardial revascularization using SIMA, and group 2 (145 patients; 54.3%) included patients with BIMA grafts. Results - There were no statistical significant differences between the two groups in age, comorbidities, aortic clamp time, extracorporeal circulation time, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), postoperative length of stay, perioperative morbidity (bleeding, deep sternal wound complications, need for reoperation, stroke, acute myocardial infarction, low cardiac output) and mortality. Conclusion - BIMA grafting is a safe method of myocardial revascularization, it increases survival, and it must be done in a skeletonized fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]