Transit time flowmetry in coronary artery bypass grafting-experience at queen alia heart institute, Jordan

ABSTRACT

To assess the results of transit time flowmetry [TTF] on a consecutive group of coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG] patients at Queen Alia Heart Institute. Intraoperative flow measurements of a consecutive group of 436 CABG patients. The flow pattern for each coronary artery system was assessed including mean flows, pulsatility index [PI] and the need for revision. A total of 1394 grafts in 436 patients were assessed [3.2 grafts per patient], wherein 100 grafts showed inadequate flowmetry results [7.2%]; most of which were in the circumflex and right coronary artery systems with a percentage of 9.4% and the least in the LAD system with a percentage of 4.4%. The mean flow of grafts to the LAD system was 33.4 +/- 5.3 mL/min with a PI of 2.4 +/- 0.4; while the mean for grafts to the circumflex artery system was 35.1 +/- 7.2 mL/min with a PI of 3.5 +/- 0.7. The mean for theright coronary artery was 38.4 +/- 5.9 mL/min with a PI of 2.6 +/- 0.6. Revisions occurred in five patients [1.1%]. Suboptimal grafts to the LAD system exhibited a flow of 14.1 +/- 7.4 mL/min with a PI of 6.9 +/- 1.7. While for the circumflex system a flow of 5.5 +/- 3.6 mL/min was reported with a PI of 10.4 +/- 7.8; and for the right coronary system a flow of 7.2 +/- 5.3 mL/min with a PI of 9.1 +/- 5.7 was reported. Grafts to the LAD system showed the best flowmetry results compared to grafts to the circumflex and right coronary systems. A proportion of poor grafts were revised