Does coronary endarterectomy improve survival and blood flow in patients with myocardial infarction and coronary obstruction?
This early report demonstrates the initial feasibility and survival of patients undergoing coronary endarterectomy for coronary obstruction.
• The removal of strips of the tunica intima of the coronary arteries was found to be possible in experimental animals. The technique was further developed and successfully applied in operations on two patients with myocardial infarctions. One patient, a 51 -yearold man, was found to have a partial obstruction at the origin of a lateral branch of the left circumflex coronary artery; removal of a 7-mm.-long tubular cast of the intima was followed by restoration of a vigorous pulsatile flow through the branch. The other patient, a 52-year-old man, was found likewise to have partial obstruction of a large lateral branch of the left circumflex artery, which felt roughened and had tiny patches of grayish-white plaques. The removal of this particulate material by endarterial curettage was followed by improved blood flow. Both patients recovered from the operation and are believed to be the first to survive coronary endarterectomy. The second patient was completely relieved of anginal pain and has returned to part-time employment.
Charles P. Bailey (Sat,) studied this question.