CORONARY-BYPASS GRAFTING FOR SINGLE-VESSEL CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE - A 17-YEAR REVIEW WITH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP

Study objectives: we reviewed our short- (30 days) and long-term (up t o 17 years) experience with surgical revascularization for patients wi th angiographically documented isolated single-vessel coronary artery disease. Design: Retrospective study of single-vessel coronary artery bypass procedures performed from January 1980 through June 1996. Durin g this time, 100 consecutive patients underwent a single-vessel corona ry artery bypass. All patients were men with a mean age of 59+/-9 year s (range, 35 to 78 years) and a mean ejection fraction of 56+/-8% (ran ge, 35 to 77%). The vessels bypassed included the left anterior descen ding in 66 (66%), right coronary artery in 31 (31%), and the obtuse ma rginal in 3 (3%). Results: Short-term results reveal no deaths and six (6.0%) complications. Long-term follow-up by chart review and telepho ne survey was available in 87 (87%) patients at a mean of 46.9 months (range, 12 to 151 months). Cumulative freedom from angina and repeated a revascularization was 93% and 98% at 1 year and 55% and 81% at 10 y ears, respectively (Kaplan-Meier). Conclusion: Single-vessel coronary artery bypass for isolated single-vessel disease can be performed with minimal morbidity and no mortality and provides excellent long-term r elief of angina.