Reoperation for coronary artery disease

Forty-two reoperations for myocardial revascularization were done in 40 patients. Seventeen of them (1%) are from our series of 1,700 patients. Average number of grafts per patient was 2.27. Complications occurred in 20 patients. There was no operative or hospital (30-day) mortality. Patients classified as improved or asymptomatic constitute 82.5% of the series. Reoperations within one year were done predominantly for technical cause of failure, whereas reoperations done after more than one year were usually for disease progression. The operative technique is described as are maneuvers to help make a reoperation less hazardous. Reoperations have been accomplished relatively safely with results similar to those of initial operation.