Effect of coexisting Paget's disease on coronary artery bypass operations.

Paget's disease of the sternum is rare. In patients with sternal Paget's disease, sternotomy, and harvesting of internal mammary arteries may reveal problems because of a thickened sternum and substernal adhesions. Saphenous vein graft or other arterial grafts may be used. Especially in younger patients who received saphenous vein graft, a repeat revascularization operation, because of earlier saphenous vein graft degeneration, may be needed in subsequent years. During the repeat operation, opening and reclosing the chest will still be a major problem. In appropriate patients, an operation through a thoracotomy or noninvasive balloon and/or stent techniques may be good choices.