[Surgical treatment of occlusive coronary artery disease. Methods and results (author's transl)]

A brief history of the development of coronary heart surgery is presented. Modern methods include the aorto-coronary bypass using saphenous vein graft or the thoracic internal artery, and the resection of ventricular aneurysm. The own experience with a group of 262 patients revealed a total mortality of 11,4%. Selected indication, improved surgical technique and postoperative care changed coronary surgery during the recent years into a routine method. The operative risk is characterized by the anatomical location of the occlusive artery disease as well as by the left ventricular function. But even in the group with high surgical risk the operative treatment is justified since life expectancy under conservative therapy is limited. In a group with 17 late death the main cause was due to cardiac insufficiency. In the group of survivors approximately 84% of the bypass were patent after an average period of 18 months.