Faculty Collaboration Database

Randomized Trial of Endoscopic or Open Vein-Graft Harvesting for Coronary-Artery Bypass. N Engl J Med 2019 Jan 10;380(2):132-141

Date

11/13/2018

Pubmed ID

30417737

DOI

10.1056/NEJMoa1812390

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85057503704 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   88 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The saphenous-vein graft is the most common conduit for coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG). The influence of the vein-graft harvesting technique on long-term clinical outcomes has not been well characterized.

METHODS: We randomly assigned patients undergoing CABG at 16 Veterans Affairs cardiac surgery centers to either open or endoscopic vein-graft harvesting. The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiac events, including death from any cause, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization. Leg-wound complications were also evaluated.

RESULTS: A total of 1150 patients underwent randomization. Over a median follow-up of 2.78 years, the primary outcome occurred in 89 patients (15.5%) in the open-harvest group and 80 patients (13.9%) in the endoscopic-harvest group (hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 1.51; P=0.47). A total of 46 patients (8.0%) in the open-harvest group and 37 patients (6.4%) in the endoscopic-harvest group died (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.92); myocardial infarctions occurred in 34 patients (5.9%) in the open-harvest group and 27 patients (4.7%) in the endoscopic-harvest group (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.77 to 2.11), and revascularization occurred in 35 patients (6.1%) in the open-harvest group and 31 patients (5.4%) in the endoscopic-harvest group (hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.85). Leg-wound infections occurred in 18 patients (3.1%) in the open-harvest group and in 8 patients (1.4%) in the endoscopic-harvest group (relative risk, 2.26; 95% CI, 0.99 to 5.15).

CONCLUSIONS: Among patients undergoing CABG, we did not find a significant difference between open vein-graft harvesting and endoscopic vein-graft harvesting in the risk of major adverse cardiac events. (Funded by the Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs; REGROUP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01850082 .).

Author List

Zenati MA, Bhatt DL, Bakaeen FG, Stock EM, Biswas K, Gaziano JM, Kelly RF, Tseng EE, Bitondo J, Quin JA, Almassi GH, Haime M, Hattler B, DeMatt E, Scrymgeour A, Huang GD, REGROUP Trial Investigators

Author

G Hossein Almassi MD Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Coronary Artery Bypass
Endoscopy
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heart Diseases
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Myocardial Infarction
Reoperation
Saphenous Vein
Surgical Wound Infection
Tissue and Organ Harvesting
Vascular Surgical Procedures