Benefits from aortocoronary bypass graft

H. D. McIntosh

The first aortocoronary bypass graft (ACBG) for coronary heart disease (CHD) was performed in 1964. From 1967 to the summer of 1977, between 250,000 and 300,000 such procedures were performed in this country. With such extensive experience, the patient might expect that most questions regarding the effectiveness of the procedure in the treatment of CHD would have been answered. Unfortunately, this is not the case. After a decade of experience, all that is truly known about the procedure is that for most patients, it does improve the quality of life and, if present practices continue, will add greatly to the cost of medical care in this country. It appears that there is still a need for more randomized, controlled studies.