Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting for left main shock syndrome.

Objective: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock and left main coronary artery disease (left main shock syndrome) shows high morbidity, and whether early coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) improves the clinical outcome remains unclear.

Methods: Six consecutive patients (mean age, 61.6 years) with MI complicated by left main shock syndrome underwent emergency CABG. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the time from MI to reperfusion; within 8 hours in 3 patients and beyond 8 hours in the remaining. Average postoperative peak creatinine kinase (CK) and creatinine kinasemyosin band (CK-MB) levels were recorded, and the ejection fraction (EF) was measured with ultrasound cardiography.

Results: Significant differences in postoperative EF and CPK-MB were observed between the 2 groups. The 30-day survival rate was 100%. Five patients left the hospital alive, while 1 died on postoperative day 78.

Conclusions: AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock and left main coronary artery disease can be effectively treated with emergency CABG, with acceptable mortality and morbidity. Emergency CABG for MIs within 8 hours can improve survival in patients with left main shock syndrome.