Fifty patients who had undergone CABG operation on May 1997-October 1997 in Ankara University Medical School Department of Cardiovascular Surgery were included in this study. Mean age of the 36 male and 14 female patients was 59.6 ± 6.3 years. All patients were evaluated by bilateral colour Doppler IMA USG preoperatively. Peroperatively IMA specimens for hystopathologic examination were taken.
Preoperative colour Doppler USG evaluation of IMA showed no evidence of stenosis or flow obstruction and atherosclerosis.
Hystopathologic examination of 48 IMA specimens showed regular elastic artery features.
The intimal layer of the other 2 specimens was seen to involve foam cells which formed fatty streaks taht didnt form luminal irregularity. The incidence of minimal atherosclerotic lesions were 4%.
In conclusion it has been determined that atherosclerotic alterations develop minimally on the IMA grafts.