Abstract
According to the recent increase of age of cardiac surgical patients, the mortality due to non-cardiac causes has increased. One of the most serious risk factors in the senile patients is perioperative stroke mainly due to cerebral infarction. To identify the risk factors for stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) 483 patients who underwent scheduled CABG during past 4 years were retrospectively reviewed. Eighteen patients (3.7%) had stroke perioperatively. The hospital mortality was 3.1% (15 patients) and 2 patients (13.3%) died of cerebral infarction. To analyze the risk factors for stroke after CABG, we intensively examined the previous cerebral infarction, carotid artery stenosis evaluated by duplex scanning, and atherosclerotic or calcified changes of the ascending aorta diagnosed by palpation during surgery. There was a significant correlation between severe atherosclerotic or calcified changes of the ascending aorta and perioperative cerebral infarction.
