A second surgery for myocardial revascularization may be needed in some patients. One still discussed the reasons and the risk of such procedure. A group of 162 patients who underwent a second coronary by-pass graft surgery was analized. There was a significant number of patients with high blood pressure and with previous myocardial infarction. The reason for reoperation was either lesion within the by-pass lumen or a lesion within the lumen of a native artery non-previously treated. Most patients underwent the second coronary by-pass graft surgery after an interval of, at least, 6 years after the previous surgery. In-hospital mortality was 9% (23 patients). Authors discuss the possivle causal relationship between these findings and reoperation, as well as the causes of the high mortality.
myocardial revascularization