[Intraoperative diagnosis of the heart and great vessels--measuring blood flow and angiocardiography].

Among the methods for intraoperative diagnosis during cardiac surgery, flow measurements and angiography are of significant value. According to our experience, the electromagnetic method is the leading technique for judging bypass flow after coronary artery surgery; new trends using ultrasound techniques are promising. An exact demonstration and documentation of the operative situation, (e.g., bypass surgery) is only possible using intraoperative cinecoronary angiography. A wall-mounted unit provides excellent pictures; the method, however, is elaborate, expensive, and confined to one operating table only. Thus, a transportable angiography unit is desired that uses digital spot imaging for better evaluation. Recent developments such as intraoperative angioscopy, thermoangiography, and two-dimensional echocardiography present a promising outlook.