The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Use of arterial grafts in coronary surgery is based on the excellent patency of the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) and an expectation that other arterial grafts-right internal thoracic artery (RITA) and radial artery (RA)-will give similar patencies, superior to saphenous vein. We examined patencies of arterial grafts in a practice with extensive use for more than 15 years. ⋯ Excellent long-term patencies of arterial grafts are noted, superior to those of vein grafts. Patencies were influenced by conduit, by distribution, and by coronary artery stenosis.