RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Coronary endarterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove atheroma plaques from the coronary arteries, with a worldwide incidence of between 3.7% -42%. 10 years' experience on this technique in our hospital is presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted by reviewing 486 clinical records of patients subjected to myocardial revascularisation with cardiopulmonary bypass, moderate hypothermia and ante grade cardioplegia, between January 2003 and June 2013. The risk factors included were: age, gender, left-ventricular-ejection-fraction, EuroSCORE, left main coronary disease, diabetes and systemic arterial hypertension, perioperative mortality, myocardial infarction, perioperative bleeding, surgery times, mediastinitis, sternal dehiscence, and days of hospital stay. RESULTS: A total of 97 patients were included; 77 males (79.4%) and 20 females (20.6%), with a mean age of 62 ± 8.9 years. 75.2% had arterial hypertension, 61.8% diabetes, and 46.3% both. There was left main coronary disease in 35%, and 18.5% in its equivalent (lesion > 70% in anterior descending and circumflex), 58.5% with depressed left ventricular ejection, and 11.3% was related to failed intervention. The endarterectomy of a single artery was present in 75.2%, mainly to the descending artery, average aorta-coronary bridges 3, arterial left mammary graft, 96.9%, perioperative myocardial infarction 3.09%, reoperation for bleeding 5.15%, dehiscence 3.09%, and mediastinitis 2.06%. The mean stay in the Critical Unit was 4 ± 6 days and in hospital room 5 ± 5 days. CONCLUSIONS: To perform coronary endarterectomy increases the morbidity rate, as described in the international literature. Increased mortality was observed in patients with EuroSCORE of intermediate and high risk, which suggests reconsidering the use of this technique in these patients.