Early Detection of Asymptomatic Bypass Graft Abnormalities Using a Cardiac Troponin I Ratio Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

The authors prospectively performed coronary angiograms in their patients undergoing isolated CABG who demonstrated a rising cardiac troponin I profile in the first 12 hours following heart surgery - despite being asymptomatic.  Among a total of 1693 patients from 2005-2011, 29 (1.7%) of patients had a rising CTnI.  Of these, 16 patients (55%) demonstrated significant abnormalities on the angiograms, including occlusions, stenoses, dissections, hematomas, and kinking.