Free arterial grafts.

The use of free arterial grafts has increased since the late patency of free internal mammary artery grafts was found to approach that of pedicle internal mammary artery grafts. An intensified search for other suitable arterial grafts has resulted in reports on the use of free gastroepiploic artery grafts and free inferior epigastric artery grafts. Free arterial heterografts and free homograft saphenous veins have had very disappointing results in general. The lateral costal artery, when available, offers another possible arterial conduit in approximately 10% of patients. To effect a wider use of arterial conduits for coronary bypass grafts, a number of techniques have been devised to use the internal mammary artery and other arterial grafts as free grafts.