Emergency Aortocoronary Bypass for Impending or Extending Myocardial Infarction

Emergency coronary arteriography and aortocoronary bypass were successfully performed in three patients with preinfarction angina. Four patients with impending extension of a recent infarction died during or after aortocoronary bypass surgery. Aortocoronary bypass may improve angina and prevent infarction in selected instances of preinfarction angina. In patients with recent infarction and impending extension the risk of surgery appears to be prohibitively high.