CLINICAL OUTCOME IN VENOUS CORONARY-ARTERY BYPASS-GRAFTING - A 15-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Objective: We investigated the clinical outcome of venous coronary art ery bypass graft surgery. Methods: A study group consisting of 428 con secutive patients - operated on between 1 April 1976 and 1 April 1977 - was followed prospectively. Single or sequential saphenous vein graf ts were performed with a mean of 3.2 coronary anastomoses per patient. A left ventricular aneurysmectomy was performed in 25 patients. Resul ts: Complete revascularisation was achieved in 78% of the patients. Fo llow-up was 99.8% complete and averaged 15.4 years for the survivors. Actuarial survival after 5, 10, and 15 years was 91.4%, 79.9%, and 61. 1%, respectively. The cumulative probabilities of event-free survival at 10 years were as follows: cardiac death, 87.3%; acute myocardial in farction, 84.1%; reoperation, 88.6%; coronary artery balloon angioplas ty, 94.1%; angina pectoris, 48.7%; and any event, 40.8%. Conclusions: The results are comparable with those of the few other long-term studi es that have been published. With isolated venous bypass grafting, sat isfactory results can be obtained until approximately 7 years after op eration. Thereafter mortality increases, as does the rate of myocardia l infarction, reoperation, and balloon angioplasty. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.