Laser Doppler flowmetry estimating myocardial perfusion after internal mammary artery grafting.

Myocardial perfusion in the anteroapical part of the left ventricle was monitored intraoperatively with laser Doppler flowmetry in ten patients after grafting of the internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery. The myocardial perfusion after declamping of only the mammary artery averaged 61% of the perfusion found after declamping also the aorta. Laser Doppler flowmetry is proposed to offer a means of monitoring regional myocardial perfusion in the phase immediately after internal mammary artery grafting.