Influence of ischemic heart disease on early and late mortality after aortic reconstruction for abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortoiliac occlusive disease

A retrospective study was undertaken to assess the influence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) on the early and late mortality of patients undergoing elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) or aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). The patients were divided into IHD and non-IHD groups on routine clinical grounds. Among 157 patients with AAA, postoperative myocardial infarction occurred in 12.8% of the IHD group compared with 0.9% of the non-IHD group (P less than 0.05). The late mortality rate in the IHD group was higher than in the non-IHD group (p less than 0.05), and the mortality rate from myocardial infarction was 30% in the IHD group compared with 13% in the non-IHD group. Among 119 patients with AIOD, clinical evidence of IHD was found in 24 patients and extra-anatomical bypass was performed in 54% of these patients, compared with 35% of the patients in the non-IHD group. There was no occurrence of postoperative myocardial infarction. This study shows that an aggressive diagnostic approach should be taken for patients with AAA who have clinical evidence of IHD and that reevaluation of IHD should be performed in patients with AIOD after aortic reconstructive surgery.