Coronary revascularization in patients surviving unexpected ventricular fibrillation

Coronary angiography and hemodynamic studies were performed in a group of 13 patients who had been successfully resuscitated from unexpected ventricular fibrillation, had had angina pectoris prior to the cardiac arrest, and who had not had an acute myocardial infarction in the periarrest period. Eleven of the 13 had one or more coronary artery lesions which were amenable to surgical intervention, and eight of the 11 accepted surgery. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was elevated in most patients, while cardiac index and ejection fraction were depressed. Bypassable lesions were found in the main left coronary artery in one patient, and the proximal left anterior descending artery in two. Both of these patients had disease elsewhere. The remaining five patients had diffuse three-vessel disease. The eight patients have survived for periods ranging from 8 to 32 months (average = 24 months). This contrasts to an overall 1-year mortality of approximately 30% in survivors of hospitalization after unexpected ventricular fibrillation.