HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Ryohei Yozu Shiaki Kawada Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shin, H. Articles by Kawada, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shin, H. Articles by Kawada, S. Related Collections Coronary disease

Ann Thorac Surg 2001;72:1562-1565
© 2001 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Original article: cardiovascular

Intraoperative assessment of coronary artery bypass graft: transit-time flowmetry versus angiography

^a Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Accepted for publication June 12, 2001.

* Address reprint requests to Dr Shin, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku–ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
e-mail: h-shin{at}sc.itc.keio.ac.jp

Background. Transit-time flowmetry has been used to assess graft status intraoperatively. This study examines the validity of this method by comparing its results with the findings of simultaneously performed graft angiography.

Methods. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was assessed intraoperatively with both transit-time flowmetry and graft angiography in 30 patients. The patients were stratified into two groups based on intraoperative angiographic findings. In 18 patients (group A), the LITA and the LAD were well filled with contrast medium and the anastomosis was widely patent. In the other 12 patients (group B), spastic LITA or LAD was observed. Postoperative angiography was also performed before discharge from the hospital.

Results. The mean graft flow was 44.0 ± 25.4 mL/min in group A and 23.4 ± 10.0 mL/min in group B (p = 0.0129). Diastolic-dominant flow pattern was observed in both groups, and the ratio of peak diastolic flow to peak systolic flow and the percent diastolic time-flow integral were not statistically different between the groups. The pulsatility index was almost the same between the two groups and was acceptable in both. Postoperative angiography revealed that all grafts were patent without spasm or anastomotic stenosis.

Conclusions. LITA graft status is satisfactory when high graft flow with diastolic dominance is obtained. When there is vasospasm but no anastomotic problems, decreased graft flow with an acceptable pulsatility index and diastolic augmentation is observed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Urso, L. Alvarez, R. Sadaba, and E. Greco Skeletonization of the internal thoracic artery: a randomized comparison of harvesting methods Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, February 1, 2008; 7(1): 23 - 26. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Di Giammarco, M. Pano, S. Cirmeni, P. Pelini, G. Vitolla, and M. Di Mauro Predictive value of intraoperative transit-time flow measurement for short-term graft patency in coronary surgery. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., September 1, 2006; 132(3): 468 - 474. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Onorati, S. Olivito, P. Mastroroberto, A. di Virgilio, A. Esposito, A. Perrotti, and A. Renzulli Perioperative Patency of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting is Not Influenced by Off-Pump Technique Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2005; 80(6): 2132 - 2140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Ivascau, D. Buklas, M. Massetti, R. Sabatier, O. LePage, E. Neri, G. Babatasi, and A. Khayat Can An Early Peri-Anastomotic LITA Stenosis Be Reversible? Ann. Thorac. Surg., January 1, 2005; 79(1): 348 - 351. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]