title: Postoperative cardiac artery bypass graft complications in elderly patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Due to the increasing longevity of the and high prevalence of coronary heart disease in the aged , coronary artery bypass graft surgery has become frequent in older patients. The purpose of this study is to describe operative features, length of stay, complications and short term outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft in such patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 2005 to October 2007, 269 patients underwent coronary artery bypass graft. Demographic data, comorbidities, prognostic scores, coronary artery bypass graft elective versus urgent indication, intensive care unit length of stay, postoperative complications and intensive care unit mortality were recorded. Intra-operative characteristics, such as total surgery time, use of bypass device, on-pump time, urine output, fluid balance, use of blood products and number of grafts, were analyzed. Patients were divided in four age groups: group I (< 60 n = 68), II (60 to 69 n = 86), III (70 to 79 n = 93) IV and older than 80 years (n = 22).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group IV patients were more frequently submitted to coronary artery bypass graft combined with valve replacement, emergency surgery, and had longer stay in the intensive care unit (p < 0.01). The incidence of at least one postoperative complication was also higher among patients older than 80 (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified age and on-pump time as independent risk factors for development of complications. Mortality increased in patients older than 70 years (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Octogenarian patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft have longer intensive care unit length of stay, incidence of complications and mortality. Age and on-pump time were independent risk factors associated with the incidence of postoperative complications.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vegni
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Ferreira de
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fabricio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luis Eduardo
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Drumond
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kezen
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Freitas
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Nobre
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalichsztein
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo, Casa de Saúde São José, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: André Miguel
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Japiassú