Impacts of Skeletonized Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery Bypass Grafting on the Risk of Deep Sternal Wound Infection: Insights from a Single-Center Study of Propensity Score-Matched Data

This single-center study aimed to evaluate the incidence of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) following skeletonized bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) harvest in a Chinese cohort. Using propensity score matching, this study also provided a present-day assessment of the impacts of skeletonized BIMA grafting versus skeletonized single internal mammary artery (SIMA) grafting on early outcomes.From January 2014 to December 2017, 2403 eligible patients were entered into either a BIMA group (n = 368) or a SIMA group (n = 2035). The incidence of DSWI was recorded. Analysis of early outcomes was further performed for propensity score-matched (1:1) cohorts.The BIMA group received a similar incidence of DSWI as did the SIMA group (1.6% versus 0.9%, P = 0.247). No significant differences between subgroup diabetic-BIMA, subgroup nondiabetic-BIMA, subgroup diabetic-SIMA, and subgroup nondiabetic-SIMA were found regarding the incidence of DSWI (2.0%, 1.4%, 1.0%, and 0.7%, respectively; P > 0.05 between groups). After matching, treatment type (skeletonized BIMA grafting versus skeletonized SIMA grafting) was not an independent risk factor for postoperative DSWI (OR = 1.309, 95% CI 0.897-2.714, P = 0.704) or predictors of other early outcomes. Additionally, the two matched groups shared similar early outcomes (including postoperative DSWI), regardless of whether or not the merger with diabetes (all P > 0.05).Skeletonized BIMA harvest as compared with skeletonized SIMA harvest was not associated with an increased risk of DSWI, regardless of whether or not the merger with diabetes. Patients with skeletonized BIMA grafting received similar surgical mortality and major postoperative morbidity as did matched patients with skeletonized SIMA grafting.