Coronary artery bypass graft surgery trends in New South Wales, Australia

Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the trends in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rates in New South Wales (NSW), Australia over a 12-year period beginning in mid-1990. These rates were examined in relation to the patients' age, gender, complications and length of stay in the hospital. Methods: Data pertaining to the CABG surgeries performed among 72 668 patients were extracted from the hospital inpatient statistics of the NSW Department of Health. The study covered all public and private hospitals in NSW. The indirect standardization technique and logistic regression modelling were used to analyse the data. Results: CABG rates increased with age, peaked in the age range 65-79 years and then declined with age. The median age of the patients showed an increasing trend. While women were less likely to have a CABG, they were substantially older than men at the time of surgery. The predictors of extended post-surgery length of stay were age, insulin-dependent diabetes, acute and chronic renal failure, congestive heart failure, pulmonary disease and having more than three vein grafts. Conclusion: An increasing trend in older patients indicates the improvements in skills of cardiothoracic surgeons and the advancement in technology, which have enabled the doctors to treat those patients who were unable to have the surgery previously.