title: [Effect of coronary bypass using right gastroepiploic artery--with special reference to their comparative examination in the early stage of postoperative angiographic findings].
abstract: In recent years, right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) has been attracting the attention as the second reliable arterial graft in clinical application. As regards to gastroepiploic artery (GEA), in this report the authors have made the measurement of postoperative graft diameter of RGEA and also demonstrated that postoperative thinning down phenomenon of the diameter of GEA. During the one year and three month-period from December 1989 to March 1991, we have shown coronary bypass (CABG) using GEA performed in 42 cases. The properties of GEA grafts were comparatively examined by postoperative angiographic findings. The results revealed that GEA grafts were satisfactory in patency ratio with the graft diameter measured 2.1 mm (1.2-3.5) as an average. So called string sign was not observed in these cases, but thinning down phenomenon of RGEA being noted in four cases. Then, the thinning down phenomenon of GEA was defined as graft diameter not more than the size of 5F and as not effectively functioning graft flow and was called slender sign. The development of slender sign was caused by good native coronary flow, narrowing of the perfused region and poor run off. Three cases of slender sign due to good native flow did not show any ischemic symptom in these perfused region which meant sufficient blood supply to the myocardium. The long-term patency ratio of RGEA graft should be further followed up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Koseiren Hiroshima General Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000637:transplantation; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply*