All patients aged > 80 years which underwent myocardial revascularization at the InCor Institute were analized in order to establish the evolution of surgical treatment of coronary artery disease. From the total of 79 patients, 60 (75.94%) were male and 19 (24.05%) female. The mean age was 82.33 (80 to 90) years. The symptons presented to indicate surgery was unstable angina in 56 (70.88%), stable angina in 22 (27.84%) and 1 (1.26%) patient was operated on after angioplasty. The autogenous saphena vein was the surgical approach in 69 (87.34%) patients while in 10 (12.5%) was the mammary vein. The present total nosocomial mortality rate reaches 6.32%. It has been decreasing at the Institution from 13.33% in 1990 it came down to 8.5% in 1993 presently it reaches 6.32%. Nosocomial causes of death were found to be anoxic encephalopathy, respiratory insufficiency, digestive hemorrhage and cardiogenic shock. Mean time follow-up ranged 18.3 (4 to 83) months. The determinant mortality time was infection, neoplasia, stroke, mesenteric thrombus, depressive syndrome and cardiogenic shock. Considering that: 1) The brazilian population has been getting older with the expectancy of life augmented; 2) The nosocomial mortality for myocardial revascularization in the elderly has been decreasing it is therefore concluded that the surgical treatment represents a good alternative for the octogenarian as it leads to a better quality and expectancy of life.
myocardial revascularization; surgery; elderly patients