Aortocoronary bypass

Aortocoronary bypass

Aortocoronary bypass is same as coronary bypass except that connection of an internal mammary artery to a coronary artery cannot be technically considered as an aortocoronary bypass. Aortocoronary bypass involves using a reversed saphenous vein or a free graft of a radial artery or some other conduit to connect a small opening created in the ascending aorta to the coronary artery distal to the obstruction.

In the initial era of coronary artery bypass surgery, aortocoronary bypass was used synonymously as coronary artery bypass grafting because internal mammary artery live grafts were seldom used for coronary bypass [1]. The term is seldom used in current literature. Hence the term is mostly of historical interest and known only to the older generation of cardiovascular physicians and surgeons.

Early postoperative angiograms were done in 200 patients who underwent aortocoronary bypass at Montreal Heart Institute as reported in 1971 [2]. Vein graft stenosis or thrombosis was documented in 33 of them in the early postoperative period.

References

1. Grondin CM, Lepage G, Castonguay YR, Meere C, Grondin P. Aortocoronary bypass graft. Initial blood flow through the graft, and early postoperative patency. Circulation. 1971 Nov;44(5):815-9.
2. Grondin CM, Castonguay YR, Lepage G, Meere C, Grondin P. Aortocoronary bypass grafts. Early postoperative angiographic evaluation and reexploration for stenosis or thrombosis of the vein graft. Arch Surg. 1971 Nov;103(5):535-8.