[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting]

Seventeen patients with stenosis of bypass grafts or native coronary arteries (NCA) following coronary artery bypass underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA). Stenoses were located in the saphenous vein graft (SVG) in 11 cases (involving 16 lesions), in the internal mammary artery graft (IMAG) in 2 cases (2 lesions), and in the NCA in 9 cases (13 lesions). All patients had disabling angina pectoris or a post-operative stenosis of more than 50%. PTCA was successful in 75% of all the SVG stenotic lesions, 50% of the IMAG lesions and in 67% of the NCA lesions. There were no complications associated with PTCA. After successful PTCA, restenosis developed in 23% of the SVG cases, 0% of the IMAG cases and in 38% of the NCA cases. Though relief of chest pain was found in 10 patients (59%), PTCA of the NCA was not so effective as PTCA of the bypass grafts.