Angiographic comparison of the internal mammary artery graft and the saphenous vein graft within 2 months and 6 to 12 months after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Angiographic status of the saphenous vein graft (SVG) and the internal mammary artery graft (IMAG) anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery were compared at two different postoperative periods; - within 2 months and at 6 to 12 months after the operation. In 50 SVGs and 35 IMAGs which were studied at the early postoperative period, the rate of intact, stenosed and occluded grafts were almost the same in these two kinds of grafts. However, in 35 SVGs and 25 IMAGs which were studied at the later period, the stenosis of SVG increased significantly while IMAG remained intact. The rate of intact, stenosed and occluded grafts at postoperative 6 to 12 months were 71%, 23% and 6% in SVG, and 88%, 8% and 4% in IMAG, respectively. Considering the better angiographic quality of IMAG, use of IMAG to bypass the most important coronary artery should be considered especially when the patients are younger.