| Evaluation for Left Internal
Thoracic Artery Graft by Intravascular Ultrasound |
(Department Surgery II, Center for Minimally Invasive
Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases, Tokyo Medical University,
Tokyo, Japan and Department of Cardiology, Nishitokyo Central
General Hospital*, Tokyo, Japan)
| Shigeki Ito |
Shin Ishimaru |
Tsuyoshi Shimizu |
| Tetsuzo Hirayama |
Masafumi Hashimoto* |
Hiroshi Sudo* |
| Hiroyuki Suesada* |
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Postoperative quantitative evaluation
of left internal thoracic artery (LITA) grafts is usually performed
by angiography, scintigraphy and Doppler flowire. However it
is difficult to observe the characteristics of the intima of
the LITA graft. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
characteristics and quantity of plaque of intima of LITA grafts
in 6 cases after coronary artery bypass surgery using an intra-vascular
ultrasound device (IVUS). There was no stenosis or calcification
of LITA grafts on angiography. However we found atherosclerotic
plaque in all LITA grafts by IVUS. Characteristics of plaque
were eccentric in all cases, and soft, hard and mixed plaque
were found. The average minimal lumen diameter of LITA grafts
was 2.6±0.2mm. The average lumen area of LITA grafts was 5.4±0.7mm2.
The rate of plaque area was 37.1±5.9%. The eccentric arteriosclerotic
plaques were seen in all cases, contradicting the established
theory that LITA do not form arteriosclerosis easily. We suggest
that IVUS is an effective follow-up device for evaluating the
morphological findings and quantitative evaluation of LITA graft
in a timely manner.
Jpn. J. Cardiovasc. Surg. 32：215 -219（2003) |
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