A 70-year-old man presented with severe angina pectoris caused by critical stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery 11 years after mediastinal radiation therapy, esophagectomy and substernal colon interposition for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Coronary artery bypass was performed through a left thoracotomy using the left internal mammary artery with profound hypothermia. This uncommon approach to an unusual case is described here.
GandjbakchI, AcarC, CabrolC.Left thoracotomy approach for coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with pericardial adhesions. Ann Thorac Surg1989; 48: 71–3.
WalkerW, SangC.Avoidance of patent anterior grafts at revisional coronary artery surgery: use of a lateral thoracotomy approach. Thorax1986; 41: 692–5.
4.
UngerleiderR, MillsN, WechslerA.Left thoracotomy for reoperative coronary artery bypass procedures. Ann Thorac Surg1985; 40: 11–15.
5.
CheungD, FlemmaR, MullenD, LepleyD.An alternative approach to isolated circumflex coronary bypass reoperations. Ann Thorac Surg1982; 33: 302–3.
MarshallW, MengR, EhrenhaftJ.Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with a tracheostoma: use of a bilateral thoracotomy incision. Ann Thorac Surg1988; 46: 465–6.
8.
SvenssonLG, CrawfordEC, HessKRDeep hypothermia with circulatory arrest: determinants of stroke and early mortality in 656 patients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg1993; 106: 19–31.