Surgical Treatment of Angina Pectoris:III. Cardiological Aspects

Abstract

Eighteen patients with severe angina pectoris have been operated upon with the modified Beck technique and 25 patients with the diaphragm graft technique. The patients' functional capacity has been evaluated by a cardiologist by using a questionnaire including specific questions regarding walking distance, how many flights of stairs the patient could climb and nitroglycerin consumption. The patients have also been classified according to the criteria of the New York Heart Association and to our own Malmö classification which includes the anginal reaction to different physical and psychical activities. No change was observed in either group when comparing the pre-operative values to the values obtained 1 year after the operation when using the criteria of the New York Heart Association. Corresponding values showed, however, an improvement in both groups, most pronounced in the graft group, when using the Malmo classification. The nitroglycerin consumption decreased in both groups when the 1 year values were compared with the preoperative values. The fall was more pronounced in the graft group. No change whatsoever was observed when the flights of stairs the patients could climb were considered. The walking distance was prolonged more in the graft group than in the Beck group.