LIMA
Medical abbreviation · Cardiology
| Stands for | Left internal mammary artery |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
LIMA stands for Left internal mammary artery, a cardiology abbreviation.
Artery running along the inside of the chest wall beside the breastbone, the preferred conduit for coronary bypass surgery and usually connected to the LAD. Because it stays attached at its origin and resists atherosclerosis, its long-term patency far exceeds that of vein grafts.
Example: LIMA to LAD widely patent on angiography 15 years after surgery.
Usage notes
Anatomists now call it the left internal thoracic artery (LITA), but the older name persists in surgery. Floyd Loop's landmark 1986 Cleveland Clinic study showed better survival when the LIMA rather than a vein was grafted to the LAD. The right internal mammary artery (RIMA) can also be used, a strategy called bilateral or total arterial grafting.
Related abbreviations
More cardiology abbreviations
- LAD – Left anterior descending artery
- LAE – Left atrial enlargement
- LAFB – Left anterior fascicular block
- LBBB – Left bundle branch block
- LCx – Left circumflex artery
- LHC – Left heart catheterization
- LM – Left main coronary artery
- Lp(a) – Lipoprotein(a)
- LQTS – Long QT syndrome
- LV – Left ventricle
- LVAD – Left ventricular assist device
- LVEDP – Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure
See all 229 cardiology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.