Non-Invasive Monitoring of Coronary Artery Reconstruction by Use of Doppler Shift Ultrasound:Preliminary Report

Percutaneous recording of flow signals from coronary by-passes was carried out by use of a Doppler flow meter. The signals were recorded on a tape recorder and audiofrequency analysis was performed by use of a sonograph instrument. Twenty-six patients were examined one week to two years after coronary by-pass surgery, signals from 22 patients could be classified as either being "normal" or "abnormal". Abnormal signals were recorded from 8 patients. Comparison of patients with abnormal signals to those with normal Doppler findings showed that the patient group with abnormal signals had also had a less pronounced increase in blood flow subsequent to peroperative injection of papaverin into the bypass, than the normal patient group. The reported findings merit an extended, longitudinal investigation of patients undergoing coronary by-pass surgery.