The internal mammary artery (IMA) is currently the preferred conduit for myocardial revascularization. However, pre-operative vasospasm and a hypoperfusion state during maximal exercise may limit its use as a bypass graft. The mechanism of spasm has not been clearly defined. Since β-adrenoceptor activation plays a major role in vasorelaxation, the present study was carried out to investigate th...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyse the arterial wall mechanics and the vasoreactive properties of the radial artery in comparison with those of the internal mammary artery and to discuss their implications for coronary bypass grafts. METHODS Measurements of pressure and diameter were obtained from cylindrical segments, whereas measurements of reactivity were obtained from ring seg...

OBJECTIVE We developed a thoracoscopic internal mammary artery harvest technique using an ultrasonic scalpel, the Harmonic Scalpel (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH). This is the first report of 9 month follow-up using this technique. METHODS The Harmonic Scalpel is activated ultrasonically by vibrating at 55000 Hz. Compared with electrocautery, lower heat (<100 degrees C) and less smoke ...

BILATERAL ligation of the internal mammary arteries was proposed by Fieschi as a simple surgical means of treating patients with coronary artery disease. The procedure aims to increase the blood pressure in the pericardiophrenic branches of the internal mammary arteries and, thereby enhancing coronary anastomoses to the myocardium. Observations made on patients have been conflicting,' as have t...

coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. in this study, we compared two surgical methods of left internal mammary artery (lima) anastomosis on left anterior descending (lad) artery in patients with severe diffuse lesions. a total of 40 patients were included in our study and randomly assigned into two groups. in group a, after a long arteriotomy on lad, the posterior sur...

  Among the present classes of calcium channel blockers, dihydropyridine derivatives are widely used in the therapy of hypertension, angina pectoris and the other cardiovascular diseases. Since the prototype of dihydropyridine derivatives, nifedipine, does not have the optimum pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, several attempts have been made to synthesize other drugs in this ...

Coronary angiography and computed tomography angiography in the diagnosis of extrinsic compression of left internal mammary artery A 82-year-old man with a previous coronary artery bypass graft was admitted to our hospital for recurrent and refractory episodes of rest angina with electrocardio-graphic signs of anterior myocardial ischemia. Coronary angiography revealed a three-vessel obstructiv...

BACKGROUND The superior long-term patency of internal mammary artery coronary bypass grafts compared with venous grafts has been attributed in part to increased endothelium-derived nitric oxide (. NO) production. Interest in the radial artery as an alternative bypass conduit has recently been revived; however, its biological characteristics remain incompletely defined. The purpose of this study...

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery found in a symptomatic 9-year-old boy was initially treated with coronary artery bypass grafting using a left internal mammary artery anastomoses to the left anterior descending coronary artery, but resulted in coronary ischemia, likely from a steal phenomenon. Subsequent transection of the proximal left internal mammary artery with anastomosis to th...