Coronary angioplasty of internal mammary artery graft

The internal mammary artery is being increasingly utilized as a conduit for coronary artery bypass operations. Early stenosis of the mammary artery due to either surgical technique or early graft atherosclerosis is a problem that requires repeated bypass operations, with increased morbidity and mortality. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty appears to be an attractive therapeutic modality in the treatment of internal mammary artery graft stenosis and may be accomplished easily by either the femoral or brachial approach. Further follow-up studies are required to validate the long-term results of angioplasty of internal mammary artery grafts.