Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is increasingly common in patients aged 70 years and over. Compared with younger patients the elderly have higher mortality and morbidity. Our database was used to obtain the characteristics of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting from September 1992 to April 1998 in our clinic. A study group of 256 patients aged 70 years and over was identified, and comparisons were made between them and patients less then 70 years of age. Mean age was 72.5 ± 2.7 and female patient ratio was 30.1 % . In the elderly group length of stay (LOS) in intensive care unit (ICU) was 3.23 ± 6.43 days, total LOS was 9.45 ± 9.44, and hospital mortality was 3.9 %. During this time LOS in ICU was 2.20 ± 2.11 (p<0.05), total LOS was 7.81 ± 5.44 (p< 0.005), and mortality was 1.1 % ( p<0.001) for the patients less then 70 years old. The hospital mortality and total LOS increased with the risk category of the Parsonnet model for the elderly. In conclusion although LOS, morbidity and mortality are increased coronary artery bypass graft surgery can be successfully performed in the elderly.

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