Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery after intracoronary thrombolysis for evolving myocardial infarction

Sixteen patients underwent emergency coronary artery bypass surgery immediately after intracoronary streptokinase infusion for acute evolving myocardial infarction. Of these, 11 patients had 70% residual stenosis in the recanalised vessel, and in five thrombolysis was unsuccessful. There were no hospital deaths. All the patients sustained myocardial necrosis, the peak activity of creatine phosphokinase correlating with the time to reperfusion. Chest tube drainage (mean 960 ml) was significantly higher than for control patients but did not correlate with the total dosage of streptokinase. No patients had further myocardial infarction or developed recurrent angina. Selected patients may benefit from coronary bypass surgery after intracoronary streptokinase infusion. If necessary this may be performed immediately with low mortality and morbidity.