Preparation of the internal mammary artery graft with intraluminal papaverine

Harvest of arterial grafts causes varying degrees of vascular spasm. Preparation of the internal mammary graft by intraluminal injection of diluted papaverine solution (60 mg of papaverine in 40 mL of normal saline) allows graft dilation to occur while pericardiotomy, cannulation, etc., is performed. Advantages are an increased mammary graft size with less chance of technical error, elimination of spasm with improved flow rates, and the identification of unclipped or uncauterized branches that may require reexploration. Newer vasodilating agents may prove even more effective in the future.