Premium
Coronary artery graft surgery
Author(s) -
Sloman J. Graeme,
Sutton Lyndel D.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1981.tb112950.x
Subject(s) - medicine , angina , coronary artery disease , bypass surgery , coronary artery bypass surgery , artery , surgery , medical treatment , disease , coronary angiography , intensive care medicine , cardiology , myocardial infarction
The last decade has seen significant technical advances in equipment for the procedure of, and the surgeons' operating skill in coronary artery bypass surgery. Such surgery is indicated when, despite medical treatment, angina is disabling; although evidence is increasing that patients whose pain is controlled should be considered for surgery. Late operations are more complex and expensive, and patients are exposed to a higher risk of sudden death in the intervening period. Delay may also allow the disease to progress to an inoperable state. Patients unlikely to benefit from medical treatment should be offered surgery as soon as their disease is identified by angiography. Intensive medical treatment, with its poorer control of symptoms, leads to an increasing dependence on the State of medicine, hospital facilities and sickness benefits. The reputedly expensive coronary artery bypass operation is cheaper both to the State and to the patient than unoperated invalidism.