Impact of surgical urgency on outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery: A retrospective cohort study

Background : surgical urgency is a significant factor influencing outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting. This study aims to assess the impact of urgency on postoperative complications and patient outcomes. Methods : a retrospective cohort analysis was conducted. out of 205 patients, 38 patients were selected, who underwent coronary artery bypass graft at the Dr. Hemn foundation, Erbil, Iraq, from February 2021 to December 2023. Patients were divided equally into urgent and elective groups, matched for age, gender, chronic disease presence, and type of surgery. Results : no significant difference was observed in age (p-value = 1.000), gender (p-value = 1.000), and body mass index (p-value = 0.748). the prevalence of posterior descending artery stenosis in the elective group was observed (p-value = 0.039). The urgent group experienced longer total hospital stay and intensive care unit. Postoperatively the urgent group experienced more blood loss compared to the elective group (p-value = 0.019) and had higher serum creatinine levels (p-value = 0.021). Conclusions : urgent coronary artery bypass grafting was associated with increased postoperative challenges, particularly in terms of renal function, blood loss, and extended hospital stay. Trial registration: retrospectively registered