[Long-term follow-up results after aorto-coronary bypass grafting]

One hundred and eighty-two patients had been followed for 1 year or longer after aorto-coronary bypass grafting ( ACBG ). Four of them died in this follow-up period, one due to cardiac failure, 8 years postoperatively (p.o.), two due to malignant tumor and one due to an accident. About three quarters of patients improved p.o. into NYHA functional classification I, though no patients was in NYHA I preoperatively. More than 90% of patients with successful complete revascularization in left coronary artery and with a patent left anterior descending artery (LAD), improved into NYHA I. Four patients had reoperation due to the occluded graft to LAD in 4 months to 9 years p.o.. There was neither operative death nor late death 6 months to 4 years after reoperation. Patients with successful revascularization in left coronary artery had significant improvement in left ventricular function, but with unsuccessful one had less improvement. The patients with a history of myocardial infarction in successful revascularization in left coronary artery showed remarkable improvement of ejection fraction at rest and in elevation in LVEDP at exercise. These results show myocardial infarction causes irreversible functional and morphological damage and it could not be full recovered even after ACBG .