title: Left ventricular function after aortocoronary bypass surgery.
abstract: Aortocoronary bypass operations without additional myocardial surgery or valve replacement were performed at Ullevål Hospital in 190 patients during the period May 1971 to Dec. 1975. Postoperatively re-examination was made by left-heart catheterization in 124 patients at a mean interval of 18.2 months and right-heart catheterization in 108 patients at a mean interval of 16.0 months after surgery. The mean postoperative values for PCVP at rest, PCVP during exercise, LVEDP before contrast and LVEDP after contrast were significantly lower than the mean pre-operative values. The difference between pre- and postoperative values were largest in patients with elevated PCVP or LVEDP values before surgery, whereas in patients with low pre-operative values the mean values after surgery were unchanged or increased. The results indicate that marked improvement of left ventricular function may occur after aortocoronary bypass operations, even in patients with signs of ventricular failure at rest. A stress test is, however, of importance in evaluating the haemodynamic consequences of coronary surgery. No difference was found in patients with single versus patients with double or triple shunts. Post-operative shunt occlusion was found in 44 of 258 grafts at re-examination. No difference was found between patients with all shunts patent and patients with one or more shunts occluded as regard to mean postoperative PCVP and LVEDP values.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002496:Central Venous Pressure; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D005082:Physical Exertion