Left ventricular haemodynamics before and soon after saphenous vein bypass graft operation for angina pectoris.

Twenty-six patients with coronary artery disease undergoing saphenous vein bypass grafts for treatment of angina pectoris were studied with preoperative and early postoperative left ventricu- lar haemodynamics at rest and during mild supine leg exercise. In approximately 70 per cent of the 2I patients with a patent graft, a return toward normal left ventricular function during exercise was noted on the basis of the absolute level of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during exercise, and the relation betteen change in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and left ventricular stroke work index during exercise. Though the explanation for lack of haemodynamic improvement in patients with a patent graft is not always clear, inadequate revascularization in terms of the number of vessels involved may be an important factor, in addition to the actual amount offlow in the graft and the preoperative state of the ventricle.