Repeat coronary artery bypass: a seven-year experience

Repeat coronary artery bypass (RCAB) procedures were performed on 323 patients from March 1984 through December 1990. The mean interval between bypass operations was 7.8 years. The operative mortality rate was 4.6%; six of the 15 deaths (40%) occurred in the operating room. Fourteen of the 15 operative deaths (93.3%) were cardiac, all but one of which were due to ventricular failure. Follow-up data for 83 of 91 (91.2%) patients at least five years following RCAB show that 64 (77.1%) are still alive, 39 (60.9%) of whom remain free of cardiac symptoms. Findings in this report, which are notably consistent with those of previous reports, are a significantly higher operative mortality rate and higher risk of death in the operating room in patients undergoing repeat bypass compared with those having initial coronary artery bypass. The challenge of reducing the mortality risk following coronary reoperation is discussed in this report.