A Retrospective Study of the No-Contact Technique to Obtain Radial Arteries for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

BACKGROUND: To retrospectively study the experience with application of no-touch technique in radial artery (RA)-based coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS: Clinical data of patients who underwent RA-based multi- (n = 45) or full-arterial CABG (n = 27) between January 2019 and June 2022 in the Affiliated Hospital of ZunYi Medical University were collected. The incidence of main cardiovascular events at 30-day follow-up, the antebrachial union condition and the vessel patency rate were analyzed.

RESULTS: A total of 66 RAs were harvested and 70 RAs used as grafts. The number of RA used per patient was 1.46. Delayed antebrachial union occurred in 1 patient (1.45%). There was no death, cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction or revascularization at follow-up. Early coronary computed tomography (CT) after surgery revealed occlusion in 1 RA, with the patency rate being 98.57%.

CONCLUSIONS: The No-touch RA harvesting technique, preservation and postoperative management applied in this study are effective and rational, and the application of RA as the graft in CABG is safe.