[Reoperative cardiac surgery after previous coronary artery bypass grafting]

Reoperative cardiac surgery after coronary artery bypass grafting( CABG) has been increasing. We reviewed 25 cases of reoperative cardiac surgery after CABG. Re-CABG was not included in this study. The patients consisted of 15 men and 10 women. The mean patient age was 74.4±6.3 years old. The reoperations were performed 6.3±5.1 years after CABG. They consisted of 7 aortic valve surgeries, 2 double valve surgeries, 12 mitral valve surgeries, and 4 total arch replacements. Resternotomy was performed in 20 cases, while right thoracotomy was performed in 5 cases. Internal thoracic artery( ITA)grafts had been used in 24 cases, and 22 of them were patent. Fifteen operations were performed under cardioplegic arrest with the patent ITA graft clamped from the left pleural space, while 5 operations were performed under perfused ventricular fibrillation with hypothermia. No differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and peak creatine kinase MB (CK-MB). Operative mortality was 4% (1/25). To clamp left internal thoracic artery (LITA) graft from the left pleural space is easy and safe. In case clamping the patent graft is difficult, perfused ventricular fibrillation with hypothermia is a useful alternative.