The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 83, 358-362, Copyright © 1982 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Technique and value of operative arteriography in coronary artery bypass operations
WG Rainer, TR Sadler Jr, AD Hilgenberg and TF Kelly Jr
In an attempt to make evaluation of coronary artery bypass more meaningful,
operative coronary arteriography has been used to aid in defining more
precisely the technical aspects of the operation at a time when corrective
measures can be carried out. Arteriography is performed following the
completion of distal bypass graft anastomoses, whether saphenous vein or
internal mammary artery (IMA) bypasses are used. Cut films are exposed at
the rate of 2 to 4 frames per second and are evaluated for showing (1)
status of anastomosis, (2) status of runoff, (3) lesions undetected
preoperatively, and (4) any problems with the bypass conduit. A total of
934 vessels (including 107 IMA grafts) have been visualized in 535
patients. Some form of technical revision was necessary in nine instances.
The use of this technique during intraoperative balloon dilatation, in
conjunction with and to extend the benefits of conventional bypass, is
currently being evaluated.