[Stenosis of the common trunk of the left coronary artery: operative indications and risks].

39 patients with left main coronary artery stenosis (17% of all coronary patients) have been operated of myocardial revascularization from January 1982 to May 1983. 21 patients had right coronary artery occlusion; 17 had peripheral coronary artery stenosis, 3.58 bypass grafts/patient have been implanted; in 11 patients (28%) myocardial revascularization was thought incomplete. There have been 2 postoperative deaths (5.1%) and 3 myocardial infarctions (7.7%). Authors believe that in this group of patients operative risk is higher than in patients with 3 vessel disease (less than 2% in 1982) because, in sight of the poor short-term prognosis with conservative therapy, there is surgical indication even in the presence of peripheral stenosis. Frequent clinic and haemodynamic critical status of these patients worsen operative risk so that any technical fault may be lethal.