Indications of coronary artery bypass graft in 2003

During the last 3 decades, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) emerged, was developed and has progressed. Additionally, recent surgical innovations have been introduced aimed at reducing the trauma without deviating from the efficiency of conventional procedure. At the same time significant evolution in preventive, medical treatment and percutaneous procedures has been observed. The introduction of new treatment has improved the result in medically treated patients. Percutaneous procedures emerged and were developed. New technologies and advances available to adjunctive medical therapies have appeared and have impacted the effectiveness initially established for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Larger use of stent permits a significant decrease in restenosis and the introduction of coated stent will probably improve the

Indication is a moving field. Continuing improvement in medical treatment, technical procedure and development of less invasive surgery modifies the place of each treatment and continuing evaluation and comparison are necessary. Introduction of new treatment, aimed at treating ischemic cardiomyopathy like transmyocardial revascularization, cell transplantation or gene therapy will probably modify indications in the future.