Aortic atherosclerosis and perioperative stroke in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass: role of intra-operative transesophageal echocardiography.

Intra-operative transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 126 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Significant protruding atheromas (grade IV and V; Katz et al., 1992) were present in 12 patients (9.5%). Protruding atheromas had significantly higher incidence in patients above 60 years in age. Preoperative assessment with chest roentgenography and angiography, as well as intra-operative assessment by surgical palpation proved to be insensitive in detecting aortic atheromas. Out of four patients with grade V atheromas, two (50%) developed right hemiplegia postoperatively. For the rest, patients with grade V atheromas and eight patients with grade IV atheromas, surgical technique was modified and that helped in preventing occurrence of perioperative stroke.