Intraoperative “direct” LIMA angiography for beating heart operations

The importance of the angiographic assessment of coronary bypass grafts performed on the beating heart has been recognized. We describe a simple technique for intraoperative angiography of left internal mammary artery to left anterior descending coronary artery grafts that does not require selective left internal mammary artery catheterization. This method allows immediate appraisal of the graft, hence enabling the surgeon to revise any graft or anastomosis abnormality immediately and to verify optimal results of beating heart operations.