HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Tadashi Isomura Hisayoshi Suma Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Isomura, T. Articles by Kanemitsu, H. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Isomura, T. Articles by Kanemitsu, H.

Left Subclavian Artery for Graft Inflow in Off-Pump Bypass

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery Hayama Heart Center and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital Kanagawa, Japan

For reprint information contact: Tadashi Isomura, MD Tel: 81 468 75 1717 Fax: 81 468 75 3636 email: isomura{at}hayamaheart.gr.jp Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hayama Heart Center, 1898 Shimoyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0116, Japan.

In coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass, a suitable alternative source of inflow to the free graft is required when the internal thoracic artery has already been used or the ascending aorta is severely atheromatous. Left subclavian artery was used for proximal inflow to a free radial artery graft in 1 patient and to saphenous vein grafts in 3. The free graft was anastomosed to the left subclavian artery through a small subclavian skin incision and the new pedicled graft was introduced into the pleural cavity. Through a left anterior small thoracotomy, the graft was anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery in 3 cases and to the circumflex artery in 1, without cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful and all grafts were patent. This technique may extend off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting to patients requiring reoperation and those with a diseased ascending aorta.