Bilateral internal mammary artery Y construct with multiple sequential grafting improves survival compared to bilateral internal mammary artery with additional vein grafts: 10-year experience at 2 different institutions†.

Objectives: Utilization of bilateral internal mammary arteries (BIMAs) has been shown to improve long-term outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. To achieve complete revascularization, BIMAs may be used as either sole conduits for revascularization through a Y-graft configuration (BIMA-Y) or deployed with additional grafts used in conjunction with BIMAs. The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of two institutions that predominantly used either the BIMA-Y configuration or BIMA plus additional grafts to achieve optimal revascularization.

Propensity matched analysis of bilateral internal mammary artery versus single left internal mammary artery grafting at 17-year follow-up: validation of a contemporary surgical experience.

Objectives: Bilateral internal mammary arteries (BIMA) remains widely underutilized in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Although prior research has demonstrated a long-term benefit of the use of BIMA over left internal mammary artery (LIMA)-only, validation of these results is lacking in a contemporary surgical experience. We compared complications and survival at 17-year follow-up in a large series of consecutive CABG patients from a single institution that underwent BIMA grafting with a propensity-matched group where LIMA only was used.

Stroke-related mortality in coronary surgery is reduced by the off-pump approach.

Background: Stroke remains an important complication after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). We sought to determine the frequency and death-related incidence of stroke after on-pump and off-pump CABG.

Methods: We analyzed 4,869 consecutive isolated CABG performed in our institution.

Atrial fibrillation after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objectives: The study compared the adjusted risk for developing atrial fibrillation (AF) after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery (MIDCAB) and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

Background: Atrial fibrillation results in increased morbidity and delays hospital discharge after CABG. Recently, MIDCAB has been explored as an alternative to CABG.

Cardiac output by transesophageal echocardiography using continuous-wave Doppler across the aortic valve.

Background: The use of transesophageal echocardiography for the determination of cardiac output (CO) has been limited to date. We assessed the capability of aortic continuous-wave Doppler transesophageal echocardiography to determine CO (DCO) in a transgastric long-axis imaging plane of the heart by comparing DCO to thermodilution CO (TCO).

Methods: DCO was determined in 63 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery.