Coronary artery surgery in South Australia 1970-1976

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Thoracic Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• South Australia's population is approximately 1.245 million.
• The Royal Adelaide Hospital's Cardio-Thoracic Surgical Unit is the sole facility in the state for open-heart surgery.
• Coronary artery grafting commenced in December 1970.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of coronary artery grafting procedures.
• To assess the effectiveness of coronary artery surgery in relieving angina.
• To analyze the trends in coronary artery grafting workload within the Cardio-Thoracic Surgical Unit.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 701 patients undergoing coronary artery grafting from December 1970 to December 1976.
• Follow-up assessment of 628 patients for at least six months post-operation.
• Analysis of hospital mortality and late mortality rates.

Main Results:

• Overall hospital mortality was 3.0%, with a late mortality of 3.2%.
• Incapacitating angina was the primary indication for surgery.
• 78.6% of followed-up patients experienced complete angina relief; 8.9% showed significant improvement.
• Coronary artery grafting constituted 61% of open-heart operations in 1976.

Conclusions:

• Coronary artery grafting is a highly effective treatment for incapacitating angina.
• The procedure demonstrates favorable mortality rates.
• Coronary artery surgery has become a major component of the Cardio-Thoracic Surgical Unit's workload.