Expeditious location of the embedded proximal left anterior descending coronary artery.

Retrograde passage of an intraluminal coronary artery probe to the proximal segment of the anterior descending coronary artery facilitates location of the vessel at operation. No related complications have occurred in 18 patients in whom this maneuver was performed. This method reduces the required dissection time and the hazard involved when aortocoronary bypass to an embedded left anterior descending coronary artery is necessary.