Endarterectomy of the LAD and internal mammary artery grafting. A reliable association.

Endarterectomy of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and concomitant myocardial revascularization with the internal mammary artery (IMA) were performed in five men aged 52-62 years. There was no perioperative myocardial infarction and no hospital mortality. Early postoperative angiography was performed in four cases and showed patent IMA grafts. The infrequent association of LAD endarterectomy and IMA grafting in the literature is commented on. The authors recommended myocardial revascularization with the IMA in all cases of LAD atherosclerosis, even though the condition is severe and diffuse, requiring endarterectomy.