FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 311:824-828 September 27, 1984 Number 13 Next

	Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Abstract

Accelerated progression of atherosclerosis is known to occur in surgically bypassed coronary arteries in which the preoperative stenosis was greater than 50 per cent. To assess the effect of coronary bypass on vessels with lesser degrees of stenosis, we studied 85 men who had undergone coronary bypass surgery. In this group we identified bypass grafts placed in 37 arteries with minimal atherosclerosis, which was defined as less than 50 per cent stenosis of the vessel diameter. In the same 85 men there were 93 coronary vessels with minimal atherosclerosis for which a bypass graft had not been placed. Progression of atherosclerosis, defined as further loss of at least 25 per cent of the lumen, during an average follow-up period of 37 months was more than 10 times as frequent (38 per cent vs. 3 per cent) in bypassed arteries with minimal atherosclerosis as in comparable arteries that were not bypassed. These findings support the view that minimally diseased coronary arteries should not be bypassed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Perera, D, Postema, P, Rashid, R, Patel, S, Blows, L, Marber, M, Redwood, S (2006). Does a well developed collateral circulation predispose to restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention? An intravascular ultrasound study. Heart 92: 763-767 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Werner, G. S., Bahrmann, P., Mutschke, O., Emig, U., Betge, S., Ferrari, M., Figulla, H. R. (2003). Determinants of target vessel failure in chronic total coronary occlusions after stent implantation: The influence of collateral function and coronary hemodynamics. J Am Coll Cardiol 42: 219-225 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Woo, Y. J., Gardner, T. J. (2003). Myocardial Revascularization with Cardiopulmonary Bypass. Card Surg Adult 2: 581-607 [Full Text]  
• Wahl, A, Billinger, M, Fleisch, M, Meier, B, Seiler, C (2000). Quantitatively assessed coronary collateral circulation and restenosis following percutaneous revascularization. Eur Heart J 21: 1776-1784 [Abstract]  
• Hofstra, L., Tordoir, J. H.M., Kitslaar, P. J.E.H.M., Hoeks, A. P.G., Daemen, M. J.A.P. (1996). Enhanced Cellular Proliferation in Intact Stenotic Lesions Derived From Human Arteriovenous Fistulas and Peripheral Bypass Grafts: Does It Correlate With Flow Parameters?. Circulation 94: 1283-1290 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lyon, R. T., Davis, H. R., Runyon-Hass, A., Glagov, S., Zarins, C. K. (1996). Does Relief of Critical Arterial Stenosis Accelerate Distal Atherosclerosis?. VASC ENDOVASCULAR SURG 30: 191-200 [Abstract]