Emergency thrombectomy for acute coronary bypass graft occlusion

Abstract

Emergency thrombectomy of occluded aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass grafts was successfully performed in two patients. Thoracotomy and thrombectomy were required in one patient to terminate a fatal arrhythmia. Coronary angiography preceded thrombectomy in another patient who had an acute myocardial infarction postoperatively. Coronary angiography should be performed when signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia reappear in the immediate postoperative period; if an occluded graft is found, thrombectomy should be performed.