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OHSU Comments on Heart Bypass Surgery (CABG): Oregon Health & Science University is Oregon’s only academic medical center. OHSU is a respected regional resource because of the knowledge, expertise and leading-edge medical technology that is available at OHSU Hospital, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and their numerous clinics and specialized centers. Doctors from throughout Oregon refer patients to OHSU when the necessary level of care or expertise is not available closer to home. Because OHSU is one of two designated Level 1 trauma centers in Oregon, OHSU accepts many patients who are critically ill or injured. OHSU only transfers patients who no longer require its unique services and can be tranferred to a hospital that is closer to their homes and can continue their care.
What is coronary artery bypass graft surgery?
In coronary artery bypass graft surgery, the surgeon removes a section of a patient’s blood
vessel from another part of the body and makes a bypass so blood can travel around a
blockage in an artery to the heart. The surgery relieves symptoms, such as anginal chest pain,
and prevents future heart attacks.
This surgery may be risky because the surgeon must stop the heart while creating the bypass.
Risk increases if a patient who needs this type of surgery also has other serious diseases
such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and blood vessel blockages in the brain and
other parts of the body. If the patient is suffering an acute heart attack, the surgeon must
perform this type of surgery as an emergency procedure, which is even riskier.
OHSU expertise with coronary artery bypass graft surgery
Patients and referring providers throughout Oregon recognize OHSU’s expertise in cardiac
surgery. Patients who come to OHSU because they are having an acute heart attack or their
condition is deteriorating and may soon have a heart attack are often severely ill. Therefore,
while most hospitals in Oregon perform this type of surgery on a scheduled or elective basis,
OHSU often performs it on an emergency basis.
OHSU results
In 2004 66% of the patients who came to OHSU for coronary artery bypass graft surgery
were admitted to the hospital from the emergency department. This is significantly higher than
the statewide average of 15%.
OHSU results compared with other Oregon hospitals
Despite the severity of the patients who come to OHSU for coronary artery bypass graft
surgery, OHSU’s results are very good. OHSU’s post-operative death rate of 4% is not
significantly different from that of other Oregon hospitals (3.4%).
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