The impact of incomplete revascularization and angiographic patency on midterm results after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

ObjectivesHigher rates of incomplete revascularization (IR) and reduced patency are possible drawbacks of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB); both may adversely affect outcome after surgery. This study was conducted to shed light on the relationships among IR, angiographic patency, and midterm results after OPCAB surgery.MethodsA total of 1604 consecutive patients underwent OPCAB during a 6-year period; 1581 patients (95%) underwent systematic postoperative angiography. Complete follow-up was achieved in 99.5% (median, 3.2 years; up to 6.5 years). A total of 216 patients had IR (13%), and 225 had at least 1 graft failure (FitzGibbon B or O).ResultsAll the event-free survival rates for all-cause mortality (P < .001), cardiac death (P = .020), and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (P < .001) were lower in the IR group. By using the Cox proportional hazards model, IR was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-2.81). Of those who underwent postoperative angiography, the patients with graft failure experienced reintervention more frequently than those with all grafts patent (HR, 5.49; 95% CI, 3.43-8.77). Even with excluding patients who had undergone reintervention immediately after angiography, graft failure was still an independent risk factor for reintervention afterwards (HR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.30-4.47).ConclusionsIncomplete revascularization was relevant to higher midterm mortality after OPCAB, whereas the risk of reintervention was higher for patients with occluded grafts. Complete revascularization, coupled with achievement of a higher patency rate, could be expected to improve follow-up outcomes after OPCAB surgery.