Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1980; 28(2): 102-108
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1022059
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Refinements in Coronary Artery Surgery Contributing to Improved Survival

L. Levinsky*, T. Z. Lajos, A. B. Lee Jr. , V. Srinivasan, G. Schimert
  • Department of Cardiac Surgery at the Buffalo General Hospital, and State University of New York at Buffalo, New York, USA
*Dr. Levinsky is a visiting cardiac surgery fellow from Beilinson Medical Center, University of Tel-Aviv Medical School, Petah Tikva, Israel
Further Information

Publication History

1980

Publication Date:
19 March 2008 (online)

Summary

Reviews of the literature and controlled studies of medical versus surgical treatment of coronary artery disease that include surgical results from 3 or 4 years ago may not be pertinent to therapeutic decisions made today. The results in our patients operated during 2 two-year periods (1974-1976, Group I and 1976-1978, Group II) are compared.

The Group II patients had more severe coronary artery disease. They had significantly more grafts per patient (p <.001), their cardiopulmonary bypass time was significantly reduced (p < .001), they received less inotropic support {p < .005) and spent less time in the intensive care unit (p < .001). There was a significant decrease in the overall perioperative mortality (30-day) in the patients of Group II (p < .055). The second two-year period coincided with the adoption of refinements in the intraoperative preservation of myocardium and also in surgical technique. These refinements are discussed in detail.

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