In this country, the number of patients with coronary artery disease is progressively increasing with the change of life style and improvement of the diagnostic procedures. In addition, the medically invasive procedure for treating ischemic heart
disease was rapidly developed and the surgical patients have more complex and multiple lesions and more surgical risks.
Fifty three patients with ischemic heart disease underwent coronary bypass grafting(CABG) for recent 24 months. Twenty patients had three-vessel disease, 17 patients two-vessel disease, and 2 patients single-vessel disease. The average number of
distal
anastomoses was 3.3 per patient with the range of 1 to 6 grafts. Forty-one patients(77.4%) had preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction of 50% or more and 14 patients(26.4%) had a significant left main coronary lesion. Saphenous vein
grafts
were
employed in 52/53 patients(98.1%) and internal mammary grafts, which were anastomosed to left an terior descending artery, in 38/53 patients(71.7%). Two patients, whom percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty failed for, underwent emergency
CABG
with only saphenous vein grafts and both patients survived.
The hospital mortality was 1.9% and there was no late death. Perioperative myocardial infarction occurred in 1.9%. All survivors were asymptomatic(in 83% of the patients)and /or improved over their preoperative status. Twenty-nine patients were
included
in blood conservation group and 21 patients(72.4%) underwent CABG without any homologous blood transfusion.
Our early result of coronary bypass grafting was comparable to that which was reported in other coronary surgery units. (Korean J Thoracic Cardiovas Surg 1994; 27:271-275)
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