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OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic radial artery (RA) harvesting (ERAH) has superior cosmetic results and fewer wound complications than conventional open techniques, and it also has satisfactory early patency rates. However, mid-term patency rates after ERAH were uncertain. In this study, we report early and one-year patency rates of ERAH in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
METHODS: Between April 2008 and September 2011, ERAH was performed in 30 patients. The mean age of the patients was 69 ± 7.3 years, and 27 (90%) patients were men. Off-pump CABG was performed in 27 patients and conventional CABG with concomitant cardiovascular surgery was performed in 3 patients. ERAH was performed utilizing Vasoview4 system (Maquet, Rastatt, Germany) in all patients. Early and one-year patency rates were assessed using angiography or computed tomography.
RESULTS: The RA was harvested from the left forearm in 29 patients and from the right forearm in 1 patient. The success rate of ERAH was 100%. Hospital mortality was 3.3%. Two patients had numbness of fingers. Subcutaneous hematoma developed on the harvested site in 2 patients, and 1 of these patients had paresis of the fingers. Paresis recovered with reduction of the hematoma and rehabilitation. None of the patients had postoperative wound complications. The early and one-year patency rates were 100% (29/29) and 95% (19/20), respectively, as evaluated by postoperative angiography or computed tomography.
CONCLUSIONS: ERAH has great cosmetic advantages and has good early and one-year patency rates.