Twenty-year follow-up of patients with new perioperative Q waves after coronary artery bypass grafting.

It is unclear whether the development of new Q waves on the electrocardiogram after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with an adverse prognosis. We analyzed the 20-year survival of 227 patients who underwent CABG, and found that new perioperative Q waves had no impact on long-term survival; therefore, conservative management may be appropriate for uncomplicated patients with new Q waves after CABG.