Coronary artery surgery in South Australia: second report

This is the second report on the results of coronary artery grafting in South Australia. Symptomatic relief after grafting has continued at a high level (at five years, the conditions of 90.3% of surviving patients are improved as assessed by their cardiologists), and, in patients with significant symptoms, the operation can be recommended with a high degree of safety on these grounds alone. In addition, an attempt has been made to ascertain whether grafting alters longevity and, although more information is required on this point, the initial results are most encouraging with the five-year survival rate for operated patients being 92%, a figure which compares favourably with any large, medically treated group of patients. The operative mortality rate has continued to fall and is 2.2% for the entire series.