Complete arterial revascularization using bilateral internal mammary artery in T-graft technique for multivessel coronary artery disease in on- or off-pump approach: does gender lose its historical impact on clinical outcome?

Objectives: Higher rates of mortality and morbidity have been reported in women undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) compared with men. Different revascularization techniques (on-pump and off-pump) might influence this outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 3445 consecutively recruited patients (all comers) undergoing complete arterial CABG (CACABG) at a single centre between January 2000 and December 2012. CACABG was performed in all patients using bilateral skeletonized internal mammary artery in T-graft technique, either on-pump (n = 2216) or off-pump (n = 1229). Early results (30-day) and long-term follow-up data were analysed with respect to gender-specific outcome.

Results: Women were older than men in both groups (P < 0.001), and men had a higher body mass index (on-pump: P < 0.001; off-pump: P = 0.02) compared with women. Men displayed a higher extent of coronary artery disease (P < 0.001) and an overall lower ejection fraction (P < 0.001) when undergoing on-pump CABG. No gender differences were observed for late survival (P = 0.74 vs P = 0.52) in on-pump and off-pump procedures, respectively. Late follow-up revealed a higher rate of FitzGibbon A graft patency in men undergoing the on-pump approach (P = 0.006).

Conclusions: CACABG using bilateral internal mammary artery in T-graft technique showed excellent early and long-term results. No significant gender-specific differences were observed in both groups undergoing CACABG with respect to 30 days mortality and morbidity as well as late survival. However, late follow-up revealed a higher graft patency in men undergoing the on-pump approach, compared to women.