Ultrasonic Study Of Coronary Sinus

Objective To assess methodology of detecting coronary sinus (CS) with ultrasonography and evaluation of coronary perfusion through CS. Methods 1. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed in 140 healthy adults to detect their CS and the ultrasonic indexes determined at different times were analysised statistically. 2. Doppler ultrasonography was performed in hearts of 20 anesthetized open-chest dogs. Correlation analysis was performed between velocity time integral (VTI) of coronary sinus and left conorary artery. Then we compared the changes of CS after ligated defferent coronary arteries. 3. TTE was performed on 22 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (left coronary arteries affections) before and after percutaneous transcoronary angioplasty (PTCA) and Intracoronary stent (ICS). The changes of CS were compared. Result 1. TTE could display CS entirely and There is no significant deviation within the indexs at different time (P >0.05). 2. VTI of coronary sinus and left conorary artery of 20 dogs were correlative (P <0.05, R =0.70). The diameter of CS increased, mean velocity (Vmean) and VTI of CS decreased significantly after two left coronary arteries were ligated (P <0.05). 3. After 22 CAD patients underwent interventional therapy, Vmean, VTI and flow rate (Q) of CS increased significantly (P <0.05). Conclusion TTE is an ideal method for detecting CS. Determining CS of dogs with Doppler ultrosonography could evaluate reduction of left coronary perfusion in a certain degree, especially for two vessels. Determining the flow of CS with TTE could be used to evaluate the improvement of coronary perfusion after PTCA and ICS.