Surgical versus non-surgical management of patients soon after acute myocardial infarction.

Of 510 patients admitted to hospital with acute myocardial infarction, 34 had coronary artery bypass grafting before discharge (6-43 days (median 20) after infarction). The patients who were given grafts generally had a smaller infarction with less functional impairment than the 476 patients who were not. The outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting was investigated in a retrospective matched pair study. Patients were matched on the basis of the presence of postinfarction angina, left ventricular ejection fraction, location of the infarction, peak creatine kinase activity, Killip clinical class, and severity of coronary disease with 34 patients who were given medical treatment only. At one year follow up fewer of the operated patients had symptoms than did the matched non-operated patients. Survival at one year in the operated and non-operated groups respectively was 94% vs 91%; angina within one year occurred in 3% vs 68%; congestive heart failure in 3% vs 6%; and 0% vs 32% were referred for later bypass grafting or coronary angioplasty. It is concluded that coronary artery bypass grafting can be performed safely soon after myocardial infarction provided that left ventricular function is not seriously compromised. Such treatment is more effective than medical treatment for relief of angina during the first year after infarction.     

Aortocoronary bypass operation in the elderly patient: favorable long-term course

Age has been identified as an independent risk factor for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We evaluated, therefore, the perioperative phase and long-term prognosis of all patients over the age of 64 (n = 80), who had been operated on for coronary heart disease at the University Hospital of Basel/Switzerland between 1979 and 1983. These elderly subjects were compared to 80 patients, 50 to 60 years old at the time of CABG, who were matched for degree of angina pectoris, coronary artery disease, left ventricular ejection fraction, sex and year of operation (matched-pairs analysis). Evaluation of long-term prognosis was based on regular clinical controls and on a questionnaire, sent to the patients in June 1984. During the perioperative phase 3 patients over 64 died versus 0 in the group of patients 50-60 years old. There were more complications in the older group (perioperative myocardial infarction 10 vs. 4, pulmonary embolism 2 vs. 0, cerebro-vascular insult 4 vs. 0). Three vs. one permanent pacemaker had to be implanted for irreversible AV-block. The difference in hospital stay, 21 vs. 19 days, was not significant. The cumulative survival rate was in both groups 95% after one year and 86 vs. 92% 5 years after CABG (difference not significant), despite the fact that significantly more elderly patients have had myocardial infarction prior to CABG. After an average follow-up of 28 months, 72% vs. 60% were without thoracic pain; 63 vs. 49% considered themselves in a good overall condition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Early and mid-term impacts of cardiopulmonary bypass on coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with poor left ventricular dysfunction: a propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass may exacerbate myocardial damage in compromised left ventricles. Early and mid-term outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) vs on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (On-pump CABG) were compared in patients with poor left ventricular dysfunction, using an analysis of a propensity score matching. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between December 2000 and November 2005, 1,473 patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting in our institute and 153 patients who had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) lower than 35% were enrolled. The OPCAB group contained 100 patients and the On-pump CABG group contained 53 patients. Preoperative risk factors were compared and 50 patients in each group were matched. The mean follow-up time was 35.5+/-17.3 months. Three deaths (3.0%) occurred in the matched cohort, with no significant difference between 2 groups. The operation time, ventilation time, intensive care unit admission time and occurrence of respiratory failure were significantly lower in the OPCAB group. The mean LVEF of the 2 groups improved significantly. The overall 6-year actuarial survival rates of the OPCAB and On-pump CABG group were 88.2% and 72.4% (p=0.2), respectively, and there were no significant differences in 6-year rates of freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (p=0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with poor left ventricular dysfunction improved myocardial function. Postoperative respiratory failure was significantly related to the cardiopulmonary bypass for surgical myocardial revascularization. Off-pump and On-pump surgical revascularization resulted in equivalent mid-term outcomes.     

Late results of surgical and medical therapy for patients with coronary artery disease and depressed left ventricular function

Late survival and freedom from myocardial infarction were determined for 192 patients with coronary artery disease and depressed left ventricular ejection fraction at rest (less than or equal to 35%) determined by biplane angiography who were evaluated between 1970 and 1977. Seventy-seven patients had coronary artery bypass grafting and 115 patients were treated medically and were considered surgical candidates. The medical and surgical groups were comparable in all baseline characteristics examined except frequency of three vessel disease and angina pectoris, which occurred in a significantly greater percent of the surgically treated patients (p less than 0.01). Only three medically treated patients (2.6%) underwent coronary bypass grafting in the follow-up period. Seven year actuarial survival was 63% in the surgical and 34% in the medical group (p less than 0.001). Ninety-three percent of patients in the surgical group and 81% of those in the medical group were free of nonfatal myocardial infarction (p = 0.01), and 62 and 33%, respectively, were alive and free of myocardial infarction (p less than 0.001) at 7 years. Significant differences in survival favoring surgical treatment were observed for the subsets of patients with an ejection fraction of 25% or less (p = 0.0002) and 26 to 35% (p = 0.01), and for the subsets with three vessel coronary disease (p less than 0.001), normal left ventricular end-diastolic volume (less than or equal to 100 ml/m2) (p = 0.005) and elevated end-diastolic volume (greater than 100 ml/m2)(p = 0.001). After adjustment for other important prognostic variables, the type of treatment remained significant in predicting the relative risk (medical to surgical) of mortality at 5 and 7 years (2.58 and 2.12, respectively). These data corroborate the trends observed in several randomized trials of medical and surgical therapy in patients with abnormal left ventricular function. If hospital mortality for coronary artery bypass grafting is less than 5%, substantial benefit can be anticipated for the majority of patients with depressed ventricular function.     

Association of myocardial viability on nitrate-augmented technetium-99m hexakis-2-methoxylisobutyl isonitrile myocardial tomography and intermediate-term outcome in patients with prior myocardial infarction and left ventricular dysfunction

Seventy-eight patients with prior myocardial infarction and left ventricular dysfunction who underwent nitrate-augmented myocardial tomography were followed for 23 +/- 14 months. Event-free survival was 100% in 34 patients with myocardial viability who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and 53% in those who received medical therapy (p = 0.0008). Of the 44 patients without myocardial viability, event-free survival was not significantly different between patients who underwent CABG and those who received medical therapy (96% vs 90%, p = NS).     

Natural history and prognosis of ischemic heart disease

Forty-four cases with myocardial rupture (33 with free wall rupture, 9 with interventricular septal perforation and 2 with papillary muscle rupture), all of which were ascertained by autopsy and/or at surgery, were analyzed. When the following 7 risk factors were actively managed in the acute stage of myocardial infarction, the incidence of myocardial rupture was significantly reduced: a) high blood pressure on admission, b) physical and emotional instability, c) recurrent chest pain, d) aged females, e) no history of angina or myocardial infarction, f) large myocardial infarction on ECG and g) the first 10 days after the attack of myocardial infarction. If cardiogenic shock occurs, surgery should be performed as soon as possible; if not, it should be delayed 3 weeks. The natural history of ischemic heart disease was analyzed in 400 medically-treated patients with significant coronary artery disease. They had been followed up continuously and periodically for more than one year. The prognosis of the patients with 3-vessel disease or left main trunk disease, those with poor left ventricular function (EF less than 30%) and of old age (greater than or equal to 60) and those who had a history of ischemic heart disease was poor. Follow-up study was done in 30 patients with variant angina. They often had life-threatening arrhythmias during attacks (8 ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, 8 serious bradyarrhythmia). All patients with variant angina should be treated medically at first, and only patients with organic coronary artery disease and chest pain on effort in spite of the medical treatment should be considered as candidates for AC bypass surgery.     

Mechanism of clinical onset and outcome of coronary disease before 40 years of age. 148 cases

This study reviewed the clinical histories of 148 coronary patients aged 34 +/- 5 years (20-40 years) documented in the same cardiology unit. Myocardial infarction was the presenting condition in 114 patients (77%): inaugural 65%, with prodrome 7%, asymptomatic 4%. The presentation was angina pectoris in 32 patients (22%): effort angina 15%, unstable angina 7%. Two patients had other symptoms (1%). The coronary lesions were significant (greater than 50%) in 112 patients (77%) which included 41% single vessel diseases and 36% multiple vessel diseases. The coronary lesions were insignificant in 10 patients (7%) and absent in 21 (15%) (33% under and 11% over 30 years of age). After an average follow-up of 48 months (range 1 to 10 years), 20 of the 32 patients presenting with angina developed myocardial infarction and 6 had episodes of unstable angina (65% in the first year following diagnosis). Six patients had no serious coronary events, but thereafter, 3 died. Fifteen patients (47%) are asymptomatic (including 8 after coronary bypass surgery). Ten patients are symptomatic. Of the 114 patients with inaugural myocardial infarction, 3 have died, 67 (58%) are symptomatic; the average number of risk factors per patient was related to age and to the degree of coronary artery disease. The left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in asymptomatic patients than in those who had presented a coronary event after myocardial infarction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Chronic total occlusion of the three major coronary arteries: Clinical and angiographic observation of five cases

Total occlusion of the three major coronary arteries (left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery) is a rare occurrence. Out of 5400 patients who have had coronary angiography, three men and two women (0.0009%), aged 43–76 years old, showed total occlusion of all the major coronary arteries. Each had a long history of myocardial ischemia and two showed unstable angina. Four had suffered previous myocardial infarction. The majority of the sites of occlusion were in the middle section. One patient having proximal occlusion died suddenly. In three patients with good collateral flow, the left ventricular function was well preserved; however, in two patients who lacked sufficient collateral flow, the left ventricular function was markedly impaired. Effective symptomatic relief can be obtained by bypass grafting. Two patients continued to have severe angina despite intensive medical treatment.     

Aortocoronary bypass grafting in patients without left main stenosis. Relation of risk factors to early and late survival.

Three-hundred and thirty-five patients without left main stenosis or recent acute myocardial infarction underwent isolated aortocoronary bypass grafting during 1974 and 1975. The hospital mortality was 2 per cent for the four-year predicted survival is 94 per cent. Neither the preoperative presence or absence of a progressive or unstable angina pattern, the extent of coronary artery disease, nor the left ventricular ejection fraction predicted postoperative survival. None of the 25 patients whose ejection fraction was 0.30 or less died in the perioperative period, and no late deaths occurred in this subgroup until after 36 months of follow-up, giving a predicted four-year survival rate of 82 per cent. With only one exception, patients in this subgroup were operated on because of angina, which was unstable in three-quarters of them. We believe that this study shows that patients with a severely reduced ejection fraction should not be refused aortocoronary bypass grafting if symptoms of angina are severe and predominate over symptoms of heart failure.     

Do coronary collaterals influence the outcome of bypass graft surgery?

The importance of coronary collateralization on the outcome of bypass grafting was evaluated in patients recatheterized one year after surgery. Because the severity of coronary artery disease correlated with the extent of collateralization, and ventricular function with previous myocardial infarction, we performed a matched pair study where differences in these variables were eliminated between pairs which differed only with respect to the extent of collateralization visualized during angiography. From a data bank of 814 operated patients, 143 matched pairs were formed. In the matched pair series of patients collaterals appear to provide some degree of additional blood flow to ischemic areas to allay resting symptoms before surgery, but collaterals are inadequate to meet the additional requirements of pacing-induced stress. The 2 groups were indistinguishable one year after bypass surgery. As the non-collateralized group was more symptomatic before surgery, it demonstrated greater subjective benefit from the procedure, however, this would be obscured in a consecutive series where collateralization generally correlates with severity of coronary artery disease.     

乳内动脉─冠状动脉旁路移植术──68例外科技术探讨

本文报告６８例乳内动脉（ＩＭＡ）冠状动脉（冠脉）旁路移植术。手术均在中度低温体外循环下进行，心肌保护主要采用Ｓｔ．Ｔｈｏｍａｓ液经主动脉根部间断灌注，冠脉病变较重者加用冠状静脉窦持续逆灌。８例患者只用ＩＭＡ移植，６０例患者还同时用自体大隐静脉，应用左侧ＩＭＡ６６例，双侧ＩＭＡ２例，２例患者应用左侧ＩＭＡ作续贯式移植。ＩＭＡ与冠脉的吻合部位包括前降支６６例、对角支４例、右冠脉１例、回旋支１例。以冠脉吻合口计算，平均每例作２．８个吻合口。同期左室室壁瘤切除５例，冠脉内膜剥脱１４例。７例需安装主动脉内球囊反搏。术后３０天内死亡１例，手术死亡率１．４％，死亡原因为脑缺氧昏迷。手术存活的６７例中，６２例近期心绞痛症状消失，５例明显减轻；活动量均明显增加。远期结果有待进一步观察。结论：只要掌握好ＩＭＡ的游离和吻合技术，中国人应用ＩＭＡ作冠脉旁路移植术能取得满意的结果。     

Intra-aortic balloon pumping in coronary artery disease

Cardiogenic shock and severe left ventricular failure after acute myocardial infarction, refractory angina pectoris at rest either of new onset or superimposed on stable angina pectoris, or occurring in the post infarct (less than 2 weeks) period, and the suspicion of a slowly evolving infarction are the main indications for intra-aortic balloon pumping at the Thoraxcenter. 76 patients were treated with intra-aortic balloon pumping for cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular failure, 42/76 (55%) could be weaned, 9 (12%) died within 3 months, 33 (43%) survived over 3 months, to date 29 are alive. 42 patients with refractory angina at rest were treated with intra-aortic balloon pumping. Pain relief was prompt in 41 (98%), who subsequently underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Total myocardial infarction rate was 11% (5/42), total mortality rate was 7%. Perioperative myocardial infarction rate was 8% (4/42) and perioperative mortality was 7% (3/42). Pain relief was prompt in 14/17 patients (82%) with post infarct refractory angina. In 3 patients pain persisted despite intra-aortic balloon pumping, all sustained a myocardial infarction, 1 died, 2 other patients were excluded for surgery. 12 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, none died, none developed acute myocardial infarction, 3 have mild stable angina. In 8 patients a slowly evolving myocardial infarction was suspected. Pain relief was prompt in 7/8 (88%) after institution of intra-aortic balloon pumping. Intra-aortic balloon pumping improves prognosis in cardiogenic shock after myocardial infarction, and abolishes refractory ischemic pain.     

Role of coronary artery bypass surgery after intracoronary streptokinase infusion for myocardial infarction

Intracoronary streptokinase infusion has been shown to improve left ventricular function and reduce hospital mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Adjuvant coronary artery bypass surgery is of value in many of these patients who have recurrent angina, circulatory instability, severe coronary artery occlusive disease, or a high risk of reinfarction. There is little, if any, evidence that immediate coronary artery bypass surgery affects the results adversely—either because of recent myocardial infarction or recent streptokinase infusion, and early operation appears to be a safe and worthwhile modality of treatment in this group of patients with myocardial infarction.     

Anomalous origin of right coronary artery from left coronary sinus

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries is uncommon but clinically significant. Manifestations vary from asymptomatic patients to those who present with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, syncope, arrhythmias, and sudden death. We describe 4 patients, aged 34 to 59 years, who were diagnosed with right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva, confirmed by coronary angiography, which was surgically repaired. Three patients presented dyspnea and angina, and one with acute myocardial infarction. At operation, the right coronary artery was dissected at the take-off from the intramural course, and reimplanted into the right sinus of Valsalva. There was no mortality. One patient had associated coronary artery disease that required stent placement postoperatively. This reimplantation technique provides a good physiological and anatomical repair, eliminates a slit-like ostium, avoids compression of the coronary artery between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and gives superior results to coronary artery bypass grafting or the unroofing technique.     

Surgical versus medical treatment of occlusive disease confined to the left anterior descending coronary artery

The results of saphenous vein bypass grafting and medical treatment were compared in 53 patients with stable angina pectoris, high grade occlusive disease confined to the left anterior descending coronary artery and normal or minimally impaired left ventricular function. Survival, incidence of myocardial infarction, relief of angina and response to exercise testing were evaluated. In the 29 surgically treated patients, followed up a mean of 24 months, there were two late deaths (7 percent) and five myocardial infarctions (17 percent). Twelve patients (41 percent) were free of angina and the majority had increased exercise performance when tested up to 18 months postoperatively. In the 24 medically treated patients, there were no deaths and one myocardial infarction (4 percent) in a mean follow-up period of 37 months. Six patients (25 percent) were free of angina. Less improvement in exercise performance was observed than in the surgically treated group.

This subset of patients with isolated left anterior descending coronary artery disease has a favorable prognosis that is not enhanced by bypass grafting. Surgical treatment is more effective than medical treatment in relieving angina and improving exercise performance in the early years after coronary arteriography.     

Results of emergency bypass operation following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Between 1980 and 1988, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 1,514 patients. Fifty-five patients (3.6%) underwent emergency coronary bypass surgery because of an acute occlusion of the vessel or a dissection with sustained angina and signs of ischemia on the electrocardiogram. Twenty-five of these 55 patients had a myocardial infarction and 5 patients died, 3 perioperatively, 2 after hospital discharge. The degree of stenosis of the dilated vessel significantly influenced the incidence of infarction, while left ventricular ejection fraction prior to PTCA significantly influenced mortality. Patients who underwent surgery with an occluded vessel experienced myocardial infarction significantly more often (87%) than patients with a patent vessel (24%). The incidence of infarction was 27% when reperfusion of the vessel occluded during PTCA was achieved with a reperfusion catheter, repeated PTCA or intracoronary lysis. The patients' age, presence of unstable angina, left ventricular ejection fraction prior to PTCA, the dilated vessel, the extent of coronary artery disease, collateralization of the dilated vessel, and the time between the onset of the event necessitating bypass surgery and the beginning of extracorporeal circulation were found to have no influence on the incidence of infarction. Patients who died had a significantly lower ejection fraction before PTCA than survivors and all patients who died had experienced a large perioperative myocardial infarction.     

Survival of patients with mild angina or myocardial infarction without angina: a comparison of medical and surgical treatment

A group of 390 patients with mild angina pectoris or myocardial infarction without subsequent angina had early coronary bypass operation. Five year survival was significantly higher (95.4%) than in a similarly selected medically treated group (88.5%) reported before. One death occurred in the 30 day postoperative period. Five year survival in the 179 patients who had internal mammary artery grafts was 98.9%. Survival for patients with mild angina and satisfactory left ventricular function (96.2%) was significantly higher than in the medical subset (91.3%). In the patient population studied, five year survival was higher in patients who had early bypass operations than in those who did not.     

Survival of patients with mild angina or myocardial infarction without angina: a comparison of medical and surgical treatment.

A group of 390 patients with mild angina pectoris or myocardial infarction without subsequent angina had early coronary bypass operation. Five year survival was significantly higher (95.4%) than in a similarly selected medically treated group (88.5%) reported before. One death occurred in the 30 day postoperative period. Five year survival in the 179 patients who had internal mammary artery grafts was 98.9%. Survival for patients with mild angina and satisfactory left ventricular function (96.2%) was significantly higher than in the medical subset (91.3%). In the patient population studied, five year survival was higher in patients who had early bypass operations than in those who did not.     

CABG in the elderly: the Glasgow experience

One hundred and eleven patients over the age of 65 years who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in Glasgow between 1980 and 1985 were compared with 548 younger patients, who had coronary artery bypass surgery over a similar period of time. The elderly group had a higher prevalence of females, pre-operative unstable angina, left main coronary artery disease and depressed left ventricular function. There were no significant differences between the two groups in operative morbidity or mortality and angina was abolished or improved in 93% of the elderly patients at follow-up. Coronary artery surgery has an important role in the management of angina in elderly patients.     

Complete surgical revascularization: the treatment of choice in young patients with multivessel coronary disease

Since the advent of coronary angioplasty, nonoperative techniques to manage coronary artery disease have become attractive alternatives to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). To provide a standard against which new procedures could be judged, 123 consecutive patients less than 45 years of age who have had CABG since 1978 were systematically followed. The indications for operation were unstable angina or postinfarction angina (60%), life-threatening coronary anatomy with stable angine (36%), and sudden death or uncontrolled ventricular tachycardia (4%). Seventy-five patients had documented preoperative myocardial infarction, 55% within 30 days of CABG. An average of 3.2 vessels were grafted per patient; only 10 had single CABG. Complete revascularization was accomplished in 91% of patients. Five patients (4%) had myocardial infarction within 30 days of operation. No operative deaths or strokes occurred. The 6-year follow-up was 94.4% (the 5-year actuarial survival rate, 87.4%). There were four late deaths; two were due to myocardial infarction, one to prosthetic valve failure, and one to sudden death. At 2.7 years, 88.1% of the patients were NYHA Functional Class I; 85.4% continued full-time employment, and 98% considered their quality of life the same or better than before CABG. Five patients suffered myocardial infarctions during the follow-up period. Nine patients required reoperation: eight for graft occlusion (three less than 1 year, five greater than 3 years), and one for disease progression. These data confirm that complete operative revascularization remains the standard of therapy for young patients with multivessel coronary artery disease as evidenced by the absence of early mortality, the low incidence of morbidity, the excellent functional recovery, and the high return to gainful employment.