Texas Heart Institute journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Blood flow in the internal mammary artery after the administration of papaverine during coronary artery bypass grafting.
Between January 1993 and February 1994, 106 patients whose internal mammary arteries were to be used for revascularization to treat coronary artery disease were examined for a prospective study of papaverine administration. The mean blood flow in the internal mammary artery was 59.9 mL/min +/- 7.3 mL/min before papaverine administration. ⋯ The highest increases in blood flow were observed in Group I (105.3%) and in Group III (112.6%). On the basis of our results, we recommend that papaverine be injected perivascularly into the pedicle of the internal mammary artery, since retrograde injection can cause dissection.