DOES RECANALIZATION OF CHRONIC RIGHT CORO NARY-OCCLUSION IMPROVE LONG-TERM QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND THE CHANCES OF RETURN TO WORK

Between 1985 and 1990, right coronary artery recanalisation was attemp ted in 60 consecutive patients. In order to evaluate the long-term ben efits, 2 groups were compared: group A (27 patients : 26 men, 1 woman) with an initial success; 1 patient was lost to follow-up (3.7 %); gro up B (33 patients, 31 men, 2 women) with an initial failure; no patien ts were lost to follow-up and 1 patient died after secondary coronary artery surgery. After a follow-up of at least 1 year, the patients ass essed their health and compared it with their pre-angioplasty state wi th the aid of a questionnaire. Age, initial left ventricular ejection fraction, the percentage of multiple vessel disease and the number of patients at work before angioplasty were the same in the two groups. A fter a mean follow-up period of two and a half years, 7.6 % of patient s had undergone coronary bypass surgery in group A compared with 18.2 % in group B (NS); 69 % of patients in group A claimed to be improved compared with only 24 % in group B (p = 0.07); a bi or triple anti-ang inal therapy was used in 58 % of patients in group B and 42 % of patie nts in group A (NS); however, 59 % of patients returned to work in gro up B compared with 44 % in group A (NS). Initial successful recanalisa tion of chronic right coronary occlusion improves the quality of life at long-term but does not increase the chances of returning to work.