Beyond peripheral arteries in Buerger's disease: angiographic considerations in thromboangiitis obliterans

Thromboangiitis obliterans is an inflammatory peripheral vascular disease that is strongly associated with smoking. It predominantly affects distal small- and medium-sized blood vessels of both the upper and lower extremities. We present histological evidence of this disease process affecting the internal mammary arteries. This can be of paramount clinical significance for patients with Buerger's disease who present with obstructive coronary artery disease and require coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). Internal mammary arteries involved with thromboangiitis obliterans cannot be utilized as arterial conduits during CABG and other alternatives have to be used. Therefore, we recommend preoperative angiography of both internal mammary arteries in patients with Buerger's disease requiring CABG to prevent extensive intraoperative dissection of diseased internal mammary arteries.