Coronary artery bypass grafting: simplification and refinement of surgical technique

Recent advances in technique and myocardial preservation that I have used in performing the coronary bypass operation are described. Rigid adherence to basic microsuture technique and use of hypothermic hyperosmolar cardioplegic solution and wide-field optical magnification have been responsible for improving graft patency rates and markedly reducing operative mortality during the past six years. With these techniques, hospital mortality has been 0.6% (3 deaths) in the last 500 consecutive coronary bypass operations.