Serial changes in left ventricular function after coronary artery bypass: implications in viability assessment.

Abstract Improvement in left ventricular (LV) performance after coronary artery bypass surgery remains the gold standard in myocardial viability assessment. The time-related changes, however, are not well known. This study examined the LV ejection fraction (EF) by gated blood pool imaging early (6 ± 4 days) and late (62 ± 24 days) after surgery in patients with normal preoperative EF (group 1, n = 12) and those with LV dysfunction (group 2, n = 15). There were no changes in the clinical status between the early and late studies, and all patients had normal sinus rhythm. Group 1 had no significant change in EF (preoperatively 62%, early postoperatively 64%, late postoperatively 63%; p = NS ). In group 2, EF was 26% ± 8% preoperatively; 30% ± 10% early postoperatively; and 34% ± 8% late postoperatively ( p p