Emergency coronary artery surgery after refractory cardiac arrest: a single centre experience.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence and outcome of refractory cardiac arrest necessitating emergency coronary artery bypass grafting.


METHODS
Retrospective survey of cardiac catheterisation and surgical records.


METHODS
The London Chest Hospital.


METHODS
All patients requiring emergency coronary artery bypass grafting after cardiovascular collapse in the catheterisation suite between January 1984 and December 1989.


METHODS
Incidence of refractory cardiac arrest in the study group and perioperative mortality.


RESULTS
Thirteen of 8675 patients undergoing coronary arteriography or angioplasty had refractory cardiac arrests. Five patients died, but the remainder survived to be discharged from hospital without serious morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Without immediate surgical intervention the mortality for these 13 patients would have been 100%.
Powney
J G
JG
Department of Surgery, London Chest Hospital.
Bonser
R S
RS
Lentini
S
S
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies