title: History of surgical treatment of ischemic heart disease--pre-'coronary bypass grafting' era.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the various concepts, surgical experiments, and actual procedures performed for the treatment of ischemic heart disease, which eventually led to the evolution of direct coronary artery bypass surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  References were collected from original articles and through pubmed search.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Various concepts and procedures were introduced, all with the aim of increasing myocardial blood flow and relief of angina. These included creation of vascular adhesions, denervation, thyroidectomies, using other organs for providing blood supply, and intramyocardial implantation of bleeding systemic arteries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Historically various innovative concepts existed and a variety of procedures were performed for treating ischemic myocardium, with variable results. These procedures continued till the evolution of direct coronary artery bypass grafting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada. pawkum73@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Pawan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Fuad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.forename: Nachum
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nesher
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000266:history / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000266:history* / Q000601:surgery; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000266:history; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000266:history; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000266:history