Revascularization of the septal artery.

The septal artery has been infrequently considered for bypass grafting due to its apparent inaccessibility. Twelve patients have recently been found to have a large single obstructed septal artery that supplied an area of left ventricle great enough to justify revascularization. A review of 100 normal arteriograms showed that 30% (30/100) of the patients had a septal artery of sufficient size to sustain a graft. Early restudy of 8 of the 12 patients who received septal bypasses showed all grafts to be patent and functioning well.