Coronary artery bypass surgery prognosis


 * Associate Editors-in-Chief:, Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [mailto:msbeih@perfuse.org]

Overview
Prognosis following CABG depends on a variety of factors. In general, CABG improves the chances of survival of patients who are at high risk, such as those patients with left main disease. After approximately 5 years the difference in survival rate between those who have had surgery and those treated by drug therapy diminishes. Age at the time of CABG is critical to the prognosis; consequently younger patients with no complicating diseases have a high probability of greater longevity.

In a cohort of 1,388 patients who were 48.9 years at the time of their first surgery (young by today's standards) survival was as follows:


 * 5 years: 93.6%


 * 10 years: 81.1%


 * 15 years: 62.1%


 * 20 years: 46.7%
 * 23 years: 38.4%