Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in Patients 70 Years of Age and Older

Park, Jong Un; Lee, Weon Yong; Kim, Kun Il; Hong, Ki Woo; Chee, Hyun Keun; Shin, Yoon Cheol; Lee, Jae Woong; Kim, Eung Jung

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in the number of elderly patients considered for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Recently, there were many satisfactory reports of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in old age due to the development in operative technique and postoperative management. We evaluated operative and follow-up results of patients 70 years of age and older compared to 60 years old. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively studied the cases of 74 consecutive patients 70 years or older (group A) who underwent a elective CABG from January 2000 to December 2003 and compared that of relatively young age group (group B, 60-69 years old). We compared preoperative characteristics, operation technique, postoperative results that effect outcome, also we investigated late mortality and cardiac events at follow-up periods. RESULT: Preoperative demographic and clinical characteristics of two groups were not different, except preoperative renal dysfunction(serum creatinine: > or= 1.4 mg/dl) (group A 17, 23% vs group B 14, 9%) (p=0.024). There was no difference of the mean number of distal anastomosis and the left ventricular ejection fraction in group A decreased significantly from 53.7+/-13% preoperatively to 49.9+/-12% postoperatively (p=0.02), but not changed in group B. There was no difference at operative mortality rate and postoperative major morbidity rate, but wound problem of saphenous vein harvest site was significantly higher in group A than group B (6.8% vs 0.7%, p=0.02). The mean follow up duration was 24.3+/-13 months and the cumulative survival were 95.4% at 2 year and 79.9% at 4 year in group A and 95.4% at 2 year and 90.1% at 4 year in group B (p=ns).
CONCLUSION
We conclude that age is not a factor of determination when we decide about operation because coronary artery bypass grafting in elderly more than 70 years old can be performed with a low mortality rate and acceptable morbidity rate.