title: Analysis of transit time flow of the right internal thoracic artery anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery compared to the left internal thoracic artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We evaluated with transit time flow the performance of the right and left thoracic arteries when used as a graft for the left anterior descending artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients undergoing surgery for myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass were divided into two groups. In group A patients received graft of right internal mammary artery to the anterior interventricular branch. In group B patients received graft of left internal mammary artery to the same branch. At the end of the operation the flow was assessed by measuring transit time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A, mean age was 60.6 ± 9.49 years. The average height and weight of the group was 80.4 ± 10.32 kg and 169.2 ± 6.86 cm. The average number of grafts per patient in this group was 3.28 ± 1.49. The mean flow and distal resistance obtained in right internal thoracic artery was 42.1 ± 23.4 ml/min and 2.8 ± 0.9 respectively. In group B, the mean age was 59.8 ± 9.7 years. The average height and weight of this group was 77.7 ± 14.22 kg and 166.0 ± 8.2 cm. The average number of grafts per patient in this group was 3.08 ± 0.82. The mean flow and distal resistance observed in this group was 34.2 ± 19.1 ml/min and 2.0 ± 0.7. There were no deaths in this series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Right internal mammary artery presented a similar behavior to left internal mammary artery when anastomosed to the anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery. There was no statistical difference between the measured flow obtained between both arteries.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: Daniela de
authors.initials: Dd
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.forename: Thais
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lumikoski
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miotto
authors.forename: Vitor Hugo
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Brofman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome