Myocardial revascularization procedures were performed on 38 patients who had had a previous major heart operation. Thirty-two patients underwent aortocoronary vein bypass graft as a second procedure, three had a Vineberg operation plus vein graft, and three had some other procedure. There were six deaths, a mortality of 16%. A satisfactory postoperative result was obtained in 25 (70%).
With the possibility of helping 70% of these revascularization failures, the reoperation challenge should be accepted by cardiac surgeons attempting to revascularize the ischemic myocardium.