[Non-selective digital subtraction angiography of aortocoronary bypasses].

Intra-arterial DSA was performed on 225 patients with a total of 552 coronary bypasses (515 aorto-coronary venous bypasses and 37 internal mammary artery bypasses). Four hundred and ninety-five bypasses were examined in the four weeks following surgery; of these, 428 (85.9%) were patent. Demonstration of the distal anastomosis was obtained in 40.4% of bypasses of the right anterior interventricular artery and in 36.1% of the right coronary artery, at least in their proximal parts. Bypasses of smaller branches showed filling in 12.8 to 19.2%. Because of the unsatisfactory demonstration of distal vessels by non-selective intra-arterial DSA, this method is suitable only for showing the patency of a bypass in the postoperative phase, but should not be used for investigating cardiac signs and symptoms following a bypass examination.