ABSTRACT
Spasm of native epicardial coronary arteries early postoperatively after aortocoronary bypass grafting has been described. Spasm of saphenous veins used as aortocoronary conduits has not been reported. The amount of diameter narrowing (in percent) of the major epicardial coronary arteries was as follows: left main, 50; left anterior descending, 50; first diagonal 50; left circumflex, 50; first left obtuse marginal, 75; and right, 80. Twenty-three hours before death, aortocoronary bypass grafting with saphenous veins was performed. The native coronary arteries were divided into 5-mm-long segments and a section stained by Movat's method was prepared from each 5-mm segment. The surprise finding at necropsy in this patient was the obliteration of the lumina of each of the 3 saphenous veins used as aortocoronary conduits. At the time of operation, the surgeon considered the saphenous veins to be normal and no difficulty was encountered in making either the aortic or coronary arterial anastomoses.
