Optilene® Suture for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is one of the most common elective surgical procedure. In total 40.000 CABG´s have been performed yearly in Germany in 2012 and 2013 which presents 60% of all cardiac surgical interventions. Coronary artery bypass grafting is performed for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to improve quality of life and to reduce cardiac-related mortality. CAD is the most leading cause of mortality in the Western world as well as in developing countries and it is the most common cause of heart failure. CABG was introduced in the 1960s. CABG operation has become the most studied intervention in the history of surgery. It is highly effective in the treatment of severe angina and it delays unfavorable events such as death, myocardial infarction and recurrence of angina in comparison to other treatment forms. There is a general agreement that already in the early postoperative period CABG surgery improves the disease in patients with symptomatic left main coronary artery stenosis or stenosis of the three main coronary vessels.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients undergoing an elective primary coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).
• On pump or off pump CABG surgery
• Age ≥25 years
• Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Emergency surgery
• Insulin dependent Diabetes Mellitus
• Acute myocardial infarction with Creatinine Kinase-MB level > 10% of CK and /or ECG signs
• Known immunodeficiency or immunosuppression
• Other combined aortic valve intervention except cardiac valve or mitral valve surgery
• Participation or planned participation in another cardiovascular study before study follow-up is completed.
• Inability to give informed consent due to mental condition, mental retardation, or language barrier.