Angiographic demonstration of no-flow anatomical patency of internal thoracic-coronary artery bypass grafts

Ann Thorac Surg. 1992 Jan;53(1):156-9. doi: 10.1016/0003-4975(92)90780-8.

Abstract

To clarify the no-flow situation of the stringlike internal thoracic artery graft, we angiographically examined such grafts by temporarily occluding the recipient coronary artery with a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty balloon and were able to reveal anatomical patency of the internal thoracic artery graft in 2 patients 1 year and 3 years after the operations. Thus, there is a possibility that internal thoracic artery grafts may continuously maintain anatomical patency even under no-flow situations just like nonfunctioning collateral vessels and may function properly later as a graft when the native coronary flow decreases. Also, this angiographic technique can be a new method for detecting anatomical patency of no-flow and functionally closed internal thoracic artery grafts.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anastomosis, Surgical
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary
  • Coronary Angiography / methods*
  • Coronary Artery Bypass*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Thoracic Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Thoracic Arteries / transplantation*
  • Vascular Patency*