A follow-up study of coronary bypass patients without patent grafts.
A series of 295 coronary bypass patients who had early and late postoperative coronary angiography included 6 cases (2%) whose grafts had all become occluded. These patients were followed up using both functional classification and repeated exercise testing. In three patients the functional classification improved early after surgery (less than or equal to 1 year) with improved exercise capacity in two. Two of these patients had perioperative myocardial infarction. During follow-up (3--8 years after surgery) only one of the patients who improved initially retained the improved capacity. There were three deaths. It is concluded that some unsuccessfully revascularized patients exhibit initial improvement which is only exceptionally maintained over longer periods. The likely explanation for pain relief is perioperative myocardial infarction.
D000328:Adult; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000601:surgery; D001794:Blood Pressure; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011183:Postoperative Complications