Relation of Myocardial Viability of the Status of Collateral Flow in Total Occlusion of Infarct-related Artery: Impact of Collateral Flow on Preservation of Left Ventricular Function

This study attempted to determine the assodation between viable myocardium in the infarct area and collateral flow and also to assess the role of collateral flow on preservation of left ventricular function. We studied 20 patients with a first recent anterior myocardial infaretion who had total occlusion of the proximal part of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The time interval between myocardial infaretion and coronary angiography was 9±6 weeks. Angiographic collateral flow was assigned a numeric score between O and 3 (collateral index). Myocardial viability was determined by quantitative planar stress redistribution 20 ı -Tl scintigraphy. 201 -Tl reinjection protocol was used in 10 patients who had a >50% decrease in 201-Tl uptake on early images (severe perfusion defect) showed no redistribution on standard 3-hour images (persistent defect). Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group 1, n=10) .or absence (group 2, n= lO) of viable myocardium in the infarcı area. Callateral index was significantly higher in group ı than in group 2 (2.6±0.5 vs 0.9±0.7, p