Should use of the internal thoracic artery be avoided under conditions of low free flow? Postoperative hemodynamic assessment using pulsed Doppler echocardiography.

There are cases in which it is thought advisable to avoid the use of the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) due to its low free flow (FF). However, even though the LITA flow is very low, anastomosis without any further maneuvers intraluminally is recommended. The present study investigated the clinical results of CABG, using a LITA with low FF. The 60 cases of CABG were divided into 2 groups: (i) Group L (n = 23), in which LITA FF was less than 20 ml/min; and (ii) Group H (n = 37) in which it was more than 20 ml/min. A comparative study on the basis of coronary angiography and pulsed Doppler echocardiography was performed. In both groups, no LITA graft occlusion was identified, and the 'string sign' was also absent. In the LITA blood waveform, all cases exhibited a biphasic pattern with a higher mid-diastolic and a lower end-systolic component. There were no significant differences in the LITA flow diastolic peak velocity, velocity time integrals and the diastolic/systolic peak velocity ratios. These results suggest that the LITA can be used for CABG even when the free flow is less than 20 ml/min.

[Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic assessment for prosthetic valves].

We evaluated three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic assessment of the implanted mechanical valves by rotational scanning method. Patients were 7 mitral valve replacement and one aortic valve replacement, 2 mitral and aortic valve replacement. In 2 cases of 7 mitral valve replacement, the prosthetic valve regurgitation was evaluated using by color Doppler echocardiography. In this study, multiplane transesophageal probe was used. It rotated at 2-degree intervals from 0 to 180 degrees and the three-dimensional reconstruction was performed by echo scan workstation system (TOMTEC Inc, Munich, Germany). In mitral valve replacement cases, the valve motion of bileaflet valve (St. Jude Medical valve and ATS valve) were showed very clearly. The struts was easily recognized in the St. Jude Medical valve (SJM valve) cases. In one of SJM valve cases, the pannus formation was revealed, but it did not disturb valve motion. The prosthetic valve regurgitation can be seen accurately. However, aortic valve and ball valve cases cannot be reconstructed because of artifact from prosthetic valve and ultrasonic direction. The prosthetic valve regurgitation, pannus formation which was difficult to be showed in two-dimensional echocardiography and relationship between annulus and sewing cuff can be evaluated by this three-dimensional echocardiography. In this study, this system has some problems, for example real-time evaluation is impossible, aortic valve and ball valve cases cannot be reconstructed. However, we think that this new technology is suitable for evaluating valve thrombus, valve dysfunction and paravalvular leakage. In conclusion, the three-dimensional echo-cardiography demonstrated, reliable and accurate examination, and it can evaluate various complications of prosthetic valve.