The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 20, 538-549, Copyright © 1975 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Results of direct coronary artery graft reconstruction. A five-year clinical and arteriographic appraisal
M Wertheimer and HV Liddle
Three hundred thirty-six patients with severe coronary artery disease were
operated upon between June, 1969, and December, 1974. All were followed
from 1 to 66 months (average, 37 months) with respect to survival and late
myocardial infarction. The patients operated upon were compared
statistically with a group of unoperated patients, and this evaluation
demonstrated significantly better late survival in the surgically treated
patients who had double- and triple-vessel disease. Two hundred thirty-six
consecutive patients had clinical and late arteriographic reevaluation more
than 6 months postoperatively; 78% were asymptomatic. Factors affecting
graft patency are reviewed in detail. Late graft patency is determined by
preoperative selection of vessels for grafting. Patency is not an index of
success for this procedure. Surgical therapy appears to be the treatment of
choice for patients with two- three-vessel coronary occlusive disease.
