Background: There is a general perception that there has been a decline in the number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to saphenous vein grafts (SVG). The reasons to the decline are not completely understood. We investigated the trends of PCI in patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) over the last 22 years.
Methods: All revascularization procedures have been documented in an electronic data base since 1992. We assessed the incidence and relative percentages of SVG interventions on a yearly basis.
Results: The number of patients who had (1) CABG, (2) PCI, (3) PCI post CABG, and (4) PCI to SVG, are plotted in the Figure. The number of CABG procedures peaked in 1995 and has declined to a dip in 2012 and with a subsequent increase. Of all PCIs, the % of PCI to patients with prior CABG has increased from 6% in 1992 to 22% in 2002, and decreased to 10% in 2012-13. The % of PCI to SVG followed a similar trend, from 1% in 1992 to 6% in 2002, down to 3% in 2013-14.
Conclusions: The number and proportion of patients who underwent PCI to SVG has been declining constantly over the last 12 years. The decline in PCI to SVG may be attributed to the reduction in CABG procedures, as well as the improved durability of SVG.
