The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 32, 16-18, Copyright © 1981 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Reoperation for coronary artery disease
A Qazi, JM Garcia, LA Mispireta and PJ Corso
Forty-two reoperations for myocardial revascularization were done in 40
patients. Seventeen of them (1%) are from our series of 1,700 patients.
Average number of grafts per patient was 2.27. Complications occurred in 20
patients. There was no operative or hospital (30-day) mortality. Patients
classified as improved or asymptomatic constitute 82.5% of the series.
Reoperations within one year were done predominantly for technical cause of
failure, whereas reoperations done after more than one year were usually
for disease progression. The operative technique is described as are
maneuvers to help make a reoperation less hazardous. Reoperations have been
accomplished relatively safely with results similar to those of initial
operation.