ULTRAFAST COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC SCANNING TO ASSESS PATENCY OF CORONARY-ARTERY STENTS IN BYPASS GRAFTS

Anginal chest pain after implantation of coronary stents in bypass gra fts is a concern because it suggests the possibility of occlusion. Cor onary angiography is the definitive method for determining patency of a stent; however, this procedure is relatively contraindicated in a pa tient receiving warfarin sodium, who has a therapeutic international n ormalized ratio. An alternative method for determining patency of a st ent is by ultrafast computed tomography. This new, minimally invasive technique shows promise for determining blood flow within the large ve ssels of the thorax. Herein we describe a case in which a metallic ste nt placed in a vein graft was noninvasively established to be patent, despite chest pain in the patient. This method may be clinically appli cable for determining patency of stents in vein grafts in the setting of patients with chest pain who have undergone complete anticoagulatio n.