Perioperative coronary arterial spasm: long-term follow-up

Six patients who survived episodes of coronary arterial spasm occurring immediately after coronary bypass grafting were followed up for 15 to 30 (mean 20) months after operation. In all patients coronary spasm occurred in an unobstructed dominant right coronary artery and caused inferior transmural ischemia. Sudden circulatory collapse occurred in five of the six patients as a consequence of acute coronary spasm. All patients were treated with nitroglycerin followed by nifedipine. No patient has had recurrent angina or other evidence of spontaneous coronary spasm since surgery. Cardiac catheterization studies, including ergonovine maleate testing, were repeated 3 to 12 months after surgery in five of the six patients. The right coronary artery and all bypass grafts were patent in all five. Four patients had new inferior wall motion abnormalities. Ergonovine provoked focal right coronary arterial spasm in one patient. It is concluded that manifestations of coronary spasm after myocardial revascularization range from asymptomatic S-T segment elevation to severe hypotension. These episodes of perioperative spasm may cause myocardial necrosis. Coronary spasm has not recurred in patients who survived perioperative spasm, but some patients may have a continued predisposition to development of coronary spasm late after surgery.