From January 1979 to October 1989, 7003 patients underwent myocardial revascularization and associated operations; there were 6511 patients under the age of 70, with early mortality of 2.5% (162/6511), in contrast to 492 patients 70 years of age or older with early mortality of 8,5% (42/492). Among these 492 patients, 410 underwent isolated myocardial revascularization with early mortality of 5.1% (21/410); 54 patients underwent associated operatins (left ventricle aneurysmectomy in 30 patients, valvular operation in 21 patients and carotid endarterectomy in 3 patients) with early mortality of 14.8% (8/54) and 28 patients were operated on early after acute myocardial infarction and the early mortality was 46.4% (13/28). The differences among these death-rates were significant. A 96.1% follow-up was obtained up to 127 months. The elderly patients are at severe risk mainly when they undergo associated operations besides myocardial revascularization, and there is a more significant risk when they are operated on early after myocardial infarction.
myocardial revascularization; myocardial revascularization