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Preparation of the Internal Mammary Artery Graft with Intraluminal Papaverine
Author(s) -
MILLS NOEL L.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of cardiac surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1540-8191
pISSN - 0886-0440
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8191.1991.tb00316.x
Subject(s) - papaverine , medicine , mammary artery , vasodilation , saline , dilation (metric space) , physiological saline , artery , anesthesia , surgery , cardiology , mathematics , combinatorics
A bstract Harvest of arterial grafts causes varying degrees of vascular spasm. Preparation of the internal mammary graft by intraluminal injection of diluted papaverine solution (60 mg of papaverine in 40 mL of normal saline) allows graft dilatation to occur while pericardiotomy, cannulation, etc., is performed. Advantages are an increased mammary graft size with less chance of technical error, elimination of spasm with improved flow rates, and the identification of unclipped or uncauterized branches that may require reexploration. Newer vasodilating agents may prove even more effective in the future.