RESULTS OF 14 YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HUMAN CORONARY ARTERY INSUFFICIENCY

Atherosclerosis obstructs the main stems of coronary arteries, restricting the coronary artery inflow tract. Nature develops intramyocardial collaterals but fails to form extracoronary collateral channels. It is only through surgical measures that extracoronary collateral channels may be formed, for example, by internal mammary artery implantation and omental graft without pedicle operations. Preoperative assessment, with particular reference to anginal pain, disease activity, indications for and contra-indications to surgery, is outlined. The importance of cine coronary arteriography is stressed. The results of internal mammary artery implantation with or without omental graft in patients followed up for two to 14 years are presented. Operative mortality in 103 consecutive patients was 2.9%. There was marked improvement in over 70% of 115 patients reviewed. Post-operative examination of 29 implanted internal mammary arteries showed that 76% were open when examined up to 10 years postoperatively; many of these were studied by cineangiography.