title: Postoperative internal thoracic artery spasm after coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: Spasm of the left internal thoracic artery in the perioperative period represents a life-threatening complication after coronary artery bypass grafting. We present a case in which graft spasm was treated with the administration of intra-arterial nitroglycerin and verapamil. Although vasospasm is more often seen in radial artery grafts, this case demonstrates that left internal thoracic artery grafts are also prone to spasm.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA. r.e.harskamp@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ralf E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Harskamp
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: McNeil
authors.forename: Margreet W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: van Ginkel
authors.forename: Renata B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.forename: Clinton E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Baisden
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Calhoon
mesh_terms: D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents