Multiple Arterial Grafting in CABG: Outcomes, Concerns, and Controversies
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Literature Selection Methodology
3. Outcomes of Multiple Arterial Grafting
3.1. In-Hospital Outcomes
3.2. Long-Term Survival
3.3. Patency Rate and Repeat Revascularization
3.4. Quality of Life
4. Concerns Associated with Multiple Arterial Grafting
4.1. Patient Selection and Risk Stratification
4.2. Technical Challenges and Surgical Expertise
4.3. Operative Time and Resource Utilization
5. Controversies Surrounding Multiple Arterial Grafting
5.1. Gender Disparities and Outcomes
5.2. Debate on Optimal Graft Choice and Configurations
5.3. Long-Term Benefits Versus Short-Term Risks
5.4. Differentiating MAG from TAG and Its Impact on Outcomes
5.5. Age Cut-Off for the Loss of Benefit from MAG
6. Future Directions and Research
6.1. Ongoing Clinical Trials and Studies
6.2. Innovations in Surgical Techniques and Technology
6.3. Recommendations for Clinical Practice
7. Conclusions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Author, Year of Publication | Number of Patients | Diabetes Mellitus, n (%) | Obesity, n (%) | COPD, n (%) | Previous MI, n (%) | LVEF, n (%) or Median (IQR) or Mean ± SD | Key Outcomes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | ||
Morris, 1990 [6] | 420 | 643 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 6 (1.43) | 5 (0.78) | 0.51 ± 0.10 | 0.49 ± 0.10 | Similar 30-dat and long-term survival at 4 years. |
Myers, 2000 [7] | 81 | 81 | 12 (15) | 11 (14) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 12 (14.8) | 13 (16) | 62.60 | 60.80 | Similar early and 5-year outcomes. |
Buxton, 2003 [8] | 80 | 273 | 37 (46) | 27 (37) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 26 (32) | 22 (30) | Similar patency and clinical events at 5 years. |
Muneretto, 2003 [9] | 100 | 100 | 40 (40) | 41 (41) | 8 (8) | 6 (6) | 22 (22) | 19 (19) | 37 (37) | 41 (41) | 28 (28) | 29 (29) | Superior clinical results and improved patient outcome with respect to recurrence of angina and a higher graft patency with MAG. |
Muneretto, 2004 [10] | 80 | 80 | 44 (55) | 41 (51) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | Significantly higher graft patency rate and a lower incidence of CVA and late cardiac events with MAG. |
Collins [11] 2008 | 60 | 82 | 10 (17) | 15 (18) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 29 (48) | 45 (55) | NR | NR | Significantly better graft patency in MAG group. |
Nasso, 2009 [12] | 202 | 601 | 78 (38) | 227 (37) | 28 (14) | 84 (14) | 57 (28) | 165 (27) | 61 (30) | 178 (29) | 28 (14) | 85 (14) | Better mid-term event free survival in MAG group. |
Damgaard, 2009 [13] | 170 | 161 | 43 (25) | 39 (24) | 28 ± 4 | 27 ± 4 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 42 (25) | 48 (30) | Similar patency index and rate of cardiac events. |
Goldman, 2011 [14] | 367 | 366 | 153 (42) | 154 (42) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 143 (39) | 146 (40) | NR | NR | Similar angiographic graft patency at 1 week after CABG, myocardial infarction, stroke, repeat revascularization, and death as well as graft patency at 1 year. |
Song, 2012 [15] | 25 | 35 | 13 (52) | 15 (42.9) | 7 (28) | 14 (40) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 3 (13) | 0 (0) | Similar postoperative morbidity, mortality, angiographic patency, and overall survival. |
Le, 2015 [16] | 28 | 30 | 6 (20) | 9 (30) | 26 (87) | 27 (90) | 3 (10) | 2 (7) | 4 (13) | 2 (7) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | Similar postoperative morbidity, mortality, and angiographic patency. |
Kim, 2018 [17] | 112 | 112 | 46 (41) | 51 (46) | 52 (46) | 52 (46) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 58 (54, 65) | 57 (50, 63) | Similar midterm clinical outcomes and 5-year graft occlusion rates. |
Thujis, 2018 [18] | 688 | 217 | 198 (30) | 33 (15) | 237 (34) | 61 (28) | 62 (9) | 13 (6) | 103 (15) | 26 (12) | 57.0 ± 8.8 | 59.0 ± 9.6 | Similar clinical outcomes at 3 years. |
Fomenko, 2021 [19] | 385 | 387 | 121 (31.4) | 129 (33.3) | 30.2 ± 5.7 | 30.5 ± 5.1 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 58.3% ± 5.6% | 58.5% ± 5.1% | Comparable procedure-related outcomes and survival at 1, 3, and 5 years. |
Taggart, 2022 [20] | 1554 | 1548 | 363 (23.4) | 371 (23.9) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 681 (43.9) | 619 (40.0) | NA | NA | Similar 30-day and 1-year mortality, rates of stroke, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization with 1.3% more MAG patients needing sternal wound reconstruction. |
Author, Year of Publication | Number of Patients | Diabetes Mellitus, n (%) | Obesity, n (%) | COPD, n (%) | Previous MI, n (%) | LVEF, n (%) or Median (IQR) or Mean ± SD | Key Outcomes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | SAG | MAG | ||
Petrovic, 2015 [24] | 100 | 100 | 43 (43) | 39 (39) | NR | NR | 8 (8) | 9 (9) | 56 (56) | 57 (57) | 48 ± 11 | 49 ± 11 | Similar clinical outcomes at 8 years. |
Buxton, 2020 [25] | 112 | 113 | 52 (46) | 50 (44) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 36 (32) | 43 (38) | >35% | >35% | Better 10-year patency rate of MAG. |
Taggart, 2022 [26] | 1554 | 1548 | 363 (23.4) | 371 (23.9) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 681 (43.9) | 619 (40.0) | NA | NA | Similar 10-year survival rate of MAG and SAG. |
Thujis, 2022 [27] | 1001 | 465 | 361 (36.1) | 141 (30.5) | 310 (31.0) | 144 (31.0) | 89 (8.9) | 34 (7.3) | 351/984 (35.7) | 128/457 (28.0) | NR | NR | Markedly lower all-cause death at 12.6-year follow-up with MAG. |
Study (Author, Year) | Study Type | N. of Grafts/Patients | Graft Type(s) | Assessment Criteria | Abnormal Graft Rate | Revised Graft Rate | Stated Reason(s) for Revision or Abnormality |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hashim (2018) [68] | Prospective | 86/60 | IMA | PI > 1.0 and MGF < 20 mL/min (arrested heart) | Not specified | 3.5% (3 grafts) | Not reported |
Hiraoka (2017) [69] | Prospective | 104/63 | IMA, RA, SVG | PI > 5.0 and MGF < 20 (ITA) | 8.7% (9 grafts) | Not reported | High PI and low MGF consistent with conduit- or anastomosis-related issues |
Di Giammarco (2014) [70] | Prospective | 717/333 | IMA, SVG | PI ≥ 3.0 and MGF ≤ 15 mL/min | 5.4% (39 grafts) | 0.3% (2 grafts) | TTFM + surgical inspection confirmed failing grafts |
Harahsheh (2012) [71] | Prospective | 1394/436 | Not specified | PI > 5.0, MGF < 20, DF < 50% | 7.2% (100 grafts) | 1.0% (14 grafts), 1.1% (5 patients) | No explicit cause—reflective of intraoperative malperfusion |
Kieser (2010) [72] | Prospective | 1015/336 | IMA, SVG, RA | PI > 5.0 | 7% (74 grafts) | 2.0% (20 grafts) | 59 patients revised based on clinical judgement, poor TTFM metrics, and DF |
Santarpino (2009) [73] | Prospective | 238/238 | LIMA + RA/LIMA + SVG | PI > 4.0 and abnormal systolic waveforms | Not applicable | 1.3% (3 grafts, 3 patients) | Thrombosis (n = 2), torsion (n = 1) |
Herman (2008) [74] | Prospective | —/985 | IMA, SVG | PI > 5.0 | 18.7% (184 patients) | 2.0% (20 patients) | Anastomotic (9), conduit-related (8), subclavian stenosis (1), unidentified (2) |
Mujanovic (2007) [75] | Prospective | 2872/1000 | Not specified | Not specified | Not applicable | 2.2% (64 grafts), 6.3% (63 patients) | Cut-off for revision not disclosed |
Onorati (2007) [76] | RCT | 90/90 | Single vs. sequential SVG | PI > 5, MGF not detailed | 5.6% (5 grafts) | 5.6% (5 patients), 1.1% (1 graft) | “Systolic” curve pattern: MGF 4 mL/min, PI 7.8 |
Desai (2006) [77] | RCT | 139/106 | IMA, SVG, RA | PI > 5.0, DF < 50%, MGF < 10 mL/min | 2.6% (3 grafts) | 1.4% (2 grafts) | DF <50%, PI >5.0 and MGF <10 mL/min |
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Raja, S.G. Multiple Arterial Grafting in CABG: Outcomes, Concerns, and Controversies. J. Vasc. Dis. 2025, 4, 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/jvd4030029
Raja SG. Multiple Arterial Grafting in CABG: Outcomes, Concerns, and Controversies. Journal of Vascular Diseases. 2025; 4(3):29. https://doi.org/10.3390/jvd4030029
Chicago/Turabian StyleRaja, Shahzad G. 2025. "Multiple Arterial Grafting in CABG: Outcomes, Concerns, and Controversies" Journal of Vascular Diseases 4, no. 3: 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/jvd4030029
APA StyleRaja, S. G. (2025). Multiple Arterial Grafting in CABG: Outcomes, Concerns, and Controversies. Journal of Vascular Diseases, 4(3), 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/jvd4030029