Aortocoronary saphenous vein graft failure is common and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Thrombus formation plays a critical role in early saphenous vein graft occlusion and may predispose to subsequent atherosclerosis formation. Optical coherence tomography is a novel, high-resolution, intravascular imaging technique that can reliably identify thrombus. Based on the findings of earlier VA Cooperative Studies, aspirin significantly reduces the incidence of early saphenous vein graft failure and is currently used in nearly all patients undergoing coronary bypass graft surgery. Administration of clopidogrel for improving early saphenous vein graft patency has provided conflicting results in small randomized studies. Prasugrel is a novel thienopyridine that provides more rapid, consistent, and intense platelet inhibition than clopidogrel. However, in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery, it remains unknown whether prasugrel may decrease thrombus formation in saphenous vein grafts during the first postoperative year, and whether this will result in less saphenous vein graft wall thickening, less lipid deposition in the saphenous vein graft wall and fewer clinical events without increasing the risk for severe bleeding.