Alternative Bypass Conduits and Methods for Surgical Coronary Revascularization

Cardiovascular surgeons are being challenged by ever-increasing numbers of patients with deficient quantity, or poor quality, of conduit available for surgical coronary revascularizations. As a result, the surgeon must use alternative conduits and/or methods to provide a safe and effective coronary revascularization procedure. The aim of this book is to assist the surgeon with these less-than-ideal conditions and provide the new and/or clinically active surgeon with a source of reference for the use of alternative conduits and surgical coronary revascularization methods. A discussion of the standard bypass conduits (internal mammary artery and the greater saphenous vein) is presented in addition to a discussion of the alternative venous and arterial bypass conduits. The internal mammary artery and the saphenous vein as alternative bypass conduits are also presented in detail. In the final sections, nonconduit revascularization techniques and artificial grafts are discussed.