[Coronary stenoses and surgical possibilities according to the coronarographic indication. Evaluation of 1000...

The degree of severity of coronary artery lesions and the quality of the distal vessels which justify revascularisation by by-pass grafting were studied in 1,000 consecutive cases of coronary angiography. The results are presented in terms of the clinical indication for coronary angiography and in terms of the patients' age and sex. 47% of patients were investigated because of unstable angina and 53% of them had surgical lesions. 16% of the angiographies were performed three weeks after myocardial necrosis. 45% of these patients had a surgical lesion in a coronary territory other than that of the necrotic area. In 20% of cases, the coronary angiography was performed as part of the pre-operative work-up for valvular heart disease. 17% of these operations combined a by-pass graft with the valve replacement. Independent of the indication for coronary angiography, 20% of cases had major coronary artery stenoses which reduced the lumen by more than 70% and which were inoperable.