BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in centers without cardiac surgery represent a real option in the current context of interventional cardiology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the incidence and indications for coronary artery bypass grafting in patients undergoing PCI from 1992 to 2005 METHOD: Data from 9,938 patients undergoing PCI in two centers were divided into three groups: pre-stent period, from 1992 to 1996 (n = 2,500), intermediate period, from 2002 to 2003 (n = 3,711) and more recent period, from 2004 to 2005 (n = 3,727) RESULTS: Since the advent of stents, an older population (58.2 ± 10.7 years vs. 62.7 ± 11.7 years vs. 67.8 + 11.6 years; P = 0.01), with more complex type B2/C lesions (52.2% vs. 72.7% vs 79%; P < 0.01) is being treated, with a lower rate of acute vessel occlusion (7.8% vs. 1.7% vs. 1.1%; P < 0.01), emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (1.2% vs. 1,1% vs. 0.7%; P < 0.01) and mortality (3.3% vs. 2.2% vs. 2%; P < 0.01). Predictors of the need of emergency bypass surgery were multivessel disease [odds ratio (OR) 3.42, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.75-6.7), acute myocardial infarction (OR 3.65, 95% CI 2.3-5.8) and lesion complexity [type B2/C, American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology - AHA/ACC (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.6-6.75)]. The use of stents, however, conferred a protective effect against the need of emergency bypass surgery (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.4-0.85) CONCLUSION: Advances in technology, devices and adjunctive pharmacotherapy have improved PCI, reducing the need of emergency coronary artery bypass grafting.
Myocardial revascularization; Emergencies; Stents
