AIM The left internal mammary artery is the graft of choice for coronary artery bypass surgery. The necessity for preoperative internal mammary artery angiography is still controversial. We designed a prospective left internal mammary angiography for evaluating the risk of stenosis in the left internal mammary and subclavian artery, and the risk and the necessity for pre-operative internal mamm...

The four quarters of bovine mammary glands are completely separated and two quarters on each side (right or left) are connected to ipsi lateral supra mammary lymph nodes. It is not clear whether cells infused into the cistern of the mammary gland are capable of migrating to lymph nodes or the general circulation. To examine cell migration, a prescapular lymph node was removed from each of two l...

BILATERAL ligation of the internal mammary arteries was proposed by Fieschi as a simple surgical means of treating patients with coronary artery disease. The procedure aims to increase the blood pressure in the pericardiophrenic branches of the internal mammary arteries and, thereby enhancing coronary anastomoses to the myocardium. Observations made on patients have been conflicting,' as have t...

OBJECTIVE We developed a thoracoscopic internal mammary artery harvest technique using an ultrasonic scalpel, the Harmonic Scalpel (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH). This is the first report of 9 month follow-up using this technique. METHODS The Harmonic Scalpel is activated ultrasonically by vibrating at 55000 Hz. Compared with electrocautery, lower heat (<100 degrees C) and less smoke ...