[Progressive changes in coronary lesions studied by iterative coronarography in operated and non-operated patients...

The authors studied progressive changes in coronary atheromatous lesions by iterative coronarography after an average period of 2 years, and at least 1 year, in operated (50 cases with a single aortocoronary venous shunt), or non-operated patients (24 cases). The results were compared to those reported in previously published papers, using as a reference, the monthly percentage deterioration in pre-existing lesions. In the non-operated patients (24 cases), results were comparable to those obtained by some authors, and showed that the lesions deteriorated by about 10% each year. In operated patients, the authors refute the previously accepted statement that operative therapy causes a more rapid worsening of the lesions. It certainly appears to be false when the graft is occluded (17 cases); and seems to be at least premature when it is permeable (33 cases). The authors also attempted to find a correlation which could be used to assess probable evolutory changes in coronary lesions. This had previously been envisaged by Rösch, but it is difficult to establish, and further complementary studies are necessary.