[Comparative study of harvesting of radial artery and great saphenous vein in patients aged 65 years and older with coronary heart disease].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the difference between autologous radial artery (RA) and great saphenous vein (GSV) harvesting in the elderly aged 65 years and older in coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: 171 patients aged 65 years and older underwent CABG with left internal mammary artery (LIMA), RA and GSV harvesting between January 2004 and June 2008. The harvesting time, length of conduits, intraoperative graft flow and harvest-site complications between RA and GSV was observed and follow-up was performed. RESULTS: A total of 171 RA and 171 GSV grafts were collected. The mean number of distal anastomoses was 3.20 +/- 0. 35. There was no significant difference in harvesting time, length of conduits and intraoperative graft flow between RA and GSV (29 +/- 10 min vs. 28 +/- 8 min, 18.2 cm +/- 1.5 cm vs. 21.3 cm +/- 5.7 cm and 41 ml/min +/- 19 ml/min vs. 34 ml/min +/- 9 m/min, P > 0.05), however, postoperatively,the length of wound healing and the incidence of infection, hematoma, exudation, paresthesia and tumescence of wound in RA was obviously lower than those in GSV (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Harvesting of RA in the elderly aged 65 years and older was superior to that of SVG and RA might play an more important role in CABG in the elderly.