Coronary reoperations in patients with a patent internal mammary artery graft.
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of short and long term results, clinical, functional and subjective status of patients, with a patent arterial graft, after coronary reoperation (RECABG).


METHODS
Perioperative and follow-up data of 71 patients, undergoing coronary reoperations (1987--8) were studied. A cross-sectional follow-up was conducted, functional evaluation by the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), and patient's evaluation of his life situation were registered.


RESULTS
Perioperative mortality was 7%. Eleven patients died during follow-up. The 12-month and 60-month survival was 96% and 80%. Event-free survival was 86% and 51%. Family doctors declared that 55/66 (83%) had benefitted from the coronary reoperations. New York Heart Association decreased significantly from 3.4 +/- 0.5 preoperative versus 1.5 +/- 0.4 postoperative. The mean DASI was 38.06 +/- 10.42. At the moment of the cross-sectional follow-up, 45/55 patients (82%) declared to have benefitted from the coronary reoperations.


CONCLUSIONS
Improvement in New York Heart Association-class, good postoperative functional capacity, and patients positive evaluation, justify coronary reoperations in patients with a patent internal mammary artery graft.
Noyez
L
L
Department of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery 414, University Hospital Nijmegen, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.noyez@thchair.azn.nl
van Eck
F M
FM
Skotnicki
S H
SH
Brouwer
R M
RM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation