CABG conduits and graft configuration

Abstract

Coronary artery bypass surgery remains the gold standard in the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease. Success of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is dependent on the patency of the conduits used. Many conduits have been used in the practice of surgical revascularization with inherent advantages and limitation. Since the late 1960s, CABG using saphenous vein conduits has been championed as the solution to coronary artery disease. However, it was soon evident that CABG provides only palliation to an ongoing process that is further complicated by the rapid development of vein graft atherosclerosis. The various conduits used are discussed in detail in the following account including the anatomy, pathophysiology, and long-term outcomes, in addition to technical aspects of graft configuration.