['We sought to evaluate the effect of collateral channels that develop late after a first anterior myocardial infarction on left ventricular dilation and function.', 'Collateral channels in an infarct-related artery may develop long after occlusion of the artery. Well visualized collateral channels that appear immediately after a myocardial infarction reduce infarct size and preserve left ventricular function. However, the functional significance of collateral channels that develop late after myocardial infarction has not been evaluated in terms of left ventricular function.', 'We studied 21 patients with a first anterior myocardial infarction and an infarct-related artery that remained totally occluded after reperfusion therapy and did not reopen within 1 month of infarction. No collateral channels were observed during the acute period. Patients were classified into two groups according to the extend of collateral formation 1 month after infarction: group C, patients with well developed collateral channels (n = 11), and group NC, patients with absent or poorly developed collateral channels (n = 10). Infarct size was determined by peak creatine kinase activity and thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography. Global and regional left ventricular function and left ventricular volumes were assessed by left ventriculography. These measurements were identical in both groups 1 month after infarction. Left ventricular function was reevaluated after 2.12 +/- 0.79 years (mean +/- SD).', 'There were no significant changes in global and regional left ventricular function between the two groups during the long-term follow-up period. However, the end-diastolic volume index of group NC increased from 71 +/- 14 to 85 +/- 19 ml/m2, whereas that of group C decreased from 64 +/- 18 to 59 +/- 12 ml/m2. This important change during the long-term follow-up period resulted in a significant difference (p = 0.0006) in the end-diastolic volume index between the groups 2 years after onset (p = 0.002), whereas 1 month after infarction the difference was not significant (p = 0.36). A similar pattern was observed for the end-systolic volume index (group C: 38 +/- 16 to 35 +/- 14 ml/m2; group NC: 45 +/- 12 to 58 +/- 18 ml/m2, p = 0.018). The power of the tests to detect the observed differences showing nonsignificant results ranged from 0.05 to 0.38, whereas the power of the tests indicating a significant difference in end-diastolic and end-systolic volume indexes was >0.88.'] Do collateral channels that develop after an acute myocardial infarction prevent subsequent left ventricular dilation?