Radial artery as a second conduit gains momentum: The RAPCO trial

In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the use of an internal mammary artery (IMA) to graft the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) improves survival and reduces the need for repeat revascularization. The other IMA, radial artery (RA), and saphenous vein (SV) have contested to complete the surgical revascularization. For that purpose, SV remains the most commonly used conduit despite current evidence in favor of arterial grafts. To determine which conduit is best for grafting the second most important coronary artery, Buxton and colleagues have recently published the long term results of their “Radial Artery Patency and Clinical Outcomes (RAPCO)” trial.