The pathology of surgically excised aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass grafts
- 1 July 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in The American Journal of Surgical Pathology
- Vol. 5 (5), 491-496
- https://doi.org/10.1097/00000478-198107000-00008
Abstract
The pathologic features of 60 surgically excised failed aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass grafts from 40 patients were reviewed. In 23 cases the grafts were occluded by intimal fibrosis. In five this was associated with thrombotic occlusion of the remaining lumen. The histologic findings in some of these cases indicated that thrombosis preceded intimal fibrosis. Seventeen patients had graft failure caused by advanced arteriosclerosis. In 13 this was associated with thrombotic occlusion, often due to rupture of atheromatous plaques. The average duration of these grafts was 6–7 years compared to an average duration of 3 years for graft failure caused by occlusive intimal fibrosis, and 7 months for those associated with fibrosis and organizing thrombosis. Vein grafts in the arterial circulation are susceptible to atherosclerosis; this becomes a significant problem after approximately 5 years. The pathologic changes closely resemble coronary arteriosclerosis.This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:
- ATHEROSCLEROTIC CHANGES IN CORONARY VEIN GRAFTS 6 YEARS AFTER OPERATION - ANGIOGRAPHIC ASPECT IN 110 PATIENTS1979
- Patency of saphenous vein grafts five or more years after coronary bypass surgeryAmerican Journal Of Medicine, 1978
- Changes in saphenous veins used as aortocoronary bypass graftsAmerican Heart Journal, 1977
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