The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 28, 429-435, Copyright © 1979 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Late coronary bypass graft flow: quantitative assessment by roentgendensitometry
D Weisz, RI Hamby, A Aintablian, C Voleti, R Fogel and BG Wisoff
Quantitative assessment of the flow in 45 saphenous vein aortocoronary
bypass grafts in 30 patients was performed by a roentgendensitometric
technique. Detalis of the technique are given. Mean graft flow for all
grafts measured in the early postoperative period (two weeks) and again in
the late postoperative period (six months to 3 years; average, 1.5 years)
significantly decreased (72.6 +/- 34.7 to 57.4 +/- 28.6 ml/min; p less than
0.01). Mean graft diameter also significantly decreased over the same
period (3.5 +/- 0.6 to 3.0 +/- 0.6 mm; p less than 0.01). Differences
could not be related to graft site or to the time interval between early
and late recatheterization. Changes in diameter did not correlate with
changes in flow. During a 3-year follow-up, saphenous vein grafts
significantly decreased in diameter and flow but still functioned
adequately; and vein grafts generally remained larger than the recipient
arteries. The determinant of adequacy of flow is the native coronary bed.