Evaluation of saphenous vein bypass surgery with multistage treadmill test and ventricular function studies.

The study includes 50 patients with severe, stable angina who have undergone the saphenous vein bypass operation. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with regard to exercise tolerance, incidence of stress-induced agina, ST-segment changes of ischemia, and ventricular function as indicated by stroke work index (LVSWI) and ejection fraction. Comparisons were made between patients with complete revascularization (CR) and patients with postoperative residual ischemia (RI). Results revealed that exercise duration improved significantly in both the CR and RI groups. In the CR group, angina and ischemic ST changes were completely eliminated. In the RI group, there was a 25 percent incidence of stress angina and a 50 percent incidence of ischemic ST-segment changes. In neither group was the ejection fraction significantly different from preoperative values. LVSWI decreased significantly in both groups postoperatively.