Advances in CABG- Do you know?

Question

There is a question and answer on this board that was of particular interest to me.

A description of what a CABG is and how it is performed was given. Inside the answer a person claiming to be a Doctor gave the following information to describe a bypass, "bypass is where they take veins from your legs (or synthetic) and graft them onto the existing vessel to 'bypass' the obstruction ".

My question has to do with the word of "synthetic". Has technology advanced to where it is possible to use some type of synthetic material to perform grafts instead of using a persons own arteries and veins?

I've had a CABG performed. It was explained to me that the veins and arteries they used were not in the greatest of shape and that I would probably have to have the procedure done again at some point in time. I asked at the time if there were any options other than using my own veins and arteries. I was told no. Has this changed?

Thank you Glory for the link. It is a good one but it doesn't answer *this* question. But thank you anyways. It is a good site to use as a reference. Thank you ma'am.

Also, I did notice one misconception. It mentions that patients are put on bypass machines during surgery. Not all patients are. I wasn't.

Glory and anyone else.... I don't want anyone to think that any answer given isn't deeply appreciated because it is. Specifically getting this question answered though is extremely important to me. I am a 48 year old woman who wants to live long enough to realize the dream of seeing my first grandchild born. :) According to my Dr's, my time and my options are very limited. *If* it is true that some type of synthetic material or even advances in using pig (or some other animal) veins or arteries ca be used this may just buy me the time I need to see my dreams come true. So thank you all from the bottom of my somewhat flawed heart and I am eagerly awaiting your responses on this.

:-)

Answer 1

Having undergone two CABG surgeries and a cardiac transplant, I can tell you for CABG grafts they use femoral veins from ankle to thigh,mammary artery,and radial arteries from arms.I am assuming since you had CABG the mammary artery and saphenous veins from one leg were used.Should you require a second CABG they would use remain veins and arteries as mentioned above. At the present time there is no synthetic artery graft available for use.However there is a company called Cardio Tech that is expected to conduct trials on ten patients using synthetic arteries for CABG surgery sometime in 2007 , these trials will take place in Europe, there are no trials in USA approved by FDA for any company developing synthetic arteries.
I wish you good luck and good health.

Answer 2

Yes synthetic have failed to respond, I think you are thinking on religious/spiritual aspect of this failure, Hmmm
This article might help, after reading the rest of the answers above:

The U.S. launch of drug-eluting stents (DES) in early 2003 produced an immediate and fairly dramatic decline in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries performed, as patients with less diffuse disease were overwhelmingly referred for interventional management. The impact on product markets was equally dramatic, and concerns regarding the future of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and beating-heart products emerged. Although the surgical coronary revascularization caseload is not expected to rebound, epidemiological analysis makes it clear that CABG surgery will remain an important tool in the management of coronary artery disease. Moreover, cardiothoracic surgeons and product manufacturers are aggressively pursuing new approaches and technologies designed to close the invasiveness and risk gap between DES and surgery. While beating heart surgery has gained its converts, most surgeons continue to prefer to operate on a dry, still heart; as such, they are welcoming new technologies that reduce the neurological and hematologic side effects of CPB. The substitution of cell washing for cardiotomy suction and whole blood return has been decisive, and, more recently, mini-bypass circuits are being promoted as a way to significantly reduce the priming volume and extensive blood-surface interface contributing to perioperative complications of CPB. Anastomosis devices are also generating interest for their ability to reduce complications secondary to aortic cross clamping and expedite the creation of reliable anastomoses. Finally, cardiac robotics and advanced visualization systems are offering the long-term potential to perform endoscopic CABG, which will clearly impact the variances between surgical and interventional approaches. The result of these advances will be a 4.2% annual increase in sales of surgical revascularization products, to $887 million in 2010.



These are among the findings of this new 506-page report which contains 170 exhibits, including market models and supplier share data for: blood pumps, CPB disposables, autotransfusion kits, beating heart products, minimally invasive vessel harvesting systems, anastomosis devices, transmyocardial revascularization technologies, cardiopulmonary surgical sealants, and adjunctive technologies, among others. A detailed epidemiological analysis explains the drivers of the CABG caseload, and profiles are presented for 14 suppliers.

Answer 3

Did you check this site?....http://www.medicinenet.com/coronary_artery_bypass_graft/article.htm

very informative.