AN UNSUSPECTED CAUSE FOR RECURRENT ANGINA - SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY-STENOSIS

The advantages of internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts over saphenous vein grafts (SVG) for coronary artery bypass grafting have been extens ively recorded in the literature.(1,2) Operative results and postopera tive mortality in patients with IMA versus SVG are comparable. The rel ative risks of thrombosis, however, of an SVG are four to five times g reater than an IMA graft, and the probability of recurrent angina or n eed for reoperation is significantly less in IMA grafted patients. Col tharp et al.(3) also showed that the risks of reoperation for recurren t angina were decreased by a previously constructed IMA graft.