OBJECTIVETo assess long-term outcome of coronary artery diseased patients undergone the surgical angioplasty of left main coronary artery.

METHODSFrom September 1983 to December 2004, 162 patients were operated on for left main coronary artery stenosis with surgical angioplasty. The data were retrospectively analyzed. Operative death associated factors were evaluated with univariate analysis, and long-term survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTSThe in-hospital mortality was 8% for all the patients but only 5.1% for the patients with simple left main coronary artery stenosis. A significant drop of operative mortality was noted in the later era of treatment (1983 to 1994 vs. 1994 to 2004). The operative death was more likely associated with no-isolated left main coronary artery pathologic feature and the urgency of surgery. An average of 102 (8 to 264) months' follow-up was completed in 95% of discharged patients. Coronary event occurred in 42 patients in the follow-up period and it was mortal for 9 cases. The overall long-term survival was 81% at 10 years and 52% at 20 years. The coronary event-free survival was 77% at 10 years and 41% at 20 years.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical angioplasty of left main coronary artery could produce excellent long-term outcome with acceptable per-operative mortality in left main coronary artery stenosis patients. This technique should deserve an important place in therapeutic options for this cohort of patients.