Assessment of left mammary artery grafts (LIMA) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting by color Doppler.
BACKGROUND
Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) on a beating heart with a LIMA graft to the LAD is established for patients with one vessel disease. The aim of the study was to assess the LIMA patency noninvasive by transcutaneous duplex ultrasound.


METHODS
25 patients (16 male, 9 female, mean age 58+/-13 yr) with LIMA grafts to LAD by OPCAB procedures were studied 7-20 days after surgery. Doppler velocity parameters were measured by use of a 7 MHz transducer placed in left intercostal space. The conventional coronary angiographies performed showed the LIMA graft patent.


RESULTS
In all cases a typical biphasic pattern of blood flow was recorded with forward flow in both systole and diastole respectively. Under basal conditions the mean peak velocities in systole were 0.36 m/s and the mean peak velocities in diastole were 0.27 m/s with a mean systolic/diastolic ratio of 1.33.


CONCLUSIONS
Transcutaneous Doppler ultrasound is useful in the detection of the LIMA graft flow. This non-invasive technique may find applications for routine postoperative follow-up of patients with LIMA grafts.
Driever
R
R
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heart Center, University of Witten/Herdecke, Arrenberger Str. 20, 42217, Wuppertal, Germany.
Fuchs
S
S
Schmitz
E
E
Vetter
H O
HO
D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology