Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Asia–1992

Abstract

A review of coronary artery bypass surgery in 1992 was conducted by surveying the countries in Asia. The result of the survey is presented. Of the 12 countries that have replied to the survey, the number of coronary artery bypass operations per million of population varied widely, ranging from 390 cases per million to 0.08 cases per million. With certain exceptions, there is a rough correlation between the number of cases done and the infant mortality rate, doctor population ratio, and the per capita gross national product. An additional 7 countries are known not to perform coronary artery bypass surgery at the moment. The overall trend of the past 5 to 10 years is a steady increase in the number of bypass operations done in Asia. The factors influencing these numbers are complex and involve not only the availability of facilities and manpower, the economic situation in each country, prevalence of the disease, and demographics, but also the opportunities for training surgeons and the treatment philosophy of the medical community. It is expected that in the next decade there will be a substantial increase in the level or rates of coronary artery bypass surgery throughout Asia.