[Resumption of employment following aortocoronary bypass operation]

Between April 1981 and May 1983, 921 patients with coronary sclerosis underwent a bypass operation. Following the operation, 327 of these patients were asked to give their professional status. These were compared with the surgical result and the clinical findings. During the 22-month follow-up period 47.1% were without work. 52.9% returned to work after an average of 3.3 months. The following factors played a significant role in the decision whether or not to return to work: 1) the age of the patient (p less than 0.001); 2) the degree of physical stress to which the patient was subjected in his job before the operation (p less than 0.001); 3) the severity of the postoperative angina pectoris symptoms (p less than 0.01); 4) the improvement in the output of the left ventricle (p less than 0.05) and 5) the participation in rehabilitation treatment (p less than 0.01). By reducing the preliminary investigation period, increasing the operation capacity and making more effective use of the rehabilitation programme, more people could return to work after the operation and this in turn would increase our patients' quality of life.