Coronary Bypass Surgery Mortality Rates Falling Statewide, Reports Find

California's mortality rate for certain coronary bypass surgeries has fallen steadily since 2004, according to recent reports by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Lavelle, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/8).

The OSHPD reports, which use data from 2007 and 2008, allow consumers to examine hospital and surgeon performance for coronary artery bypass graft surgeries (Carlson, Modesto Bee, 6/10). The reports specifically look at isolated bypass surgeries, which are surgeries that do not involve valve repairs or any other procedures (San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/8).

According to the reports, 313 deaths occurred among the 13,957 people who underwent isolated bypass surgeries in 2008, for a mortality rate of 2.24% (Modesto Bee, 6/10).

In 2004, the mortality rate for isolated bypass surgeries was 3.3%.

The reports also include hospital-specific data on rates for post-bypass strokes. OSHPD listed six hospitals under the "worse" performance category for strokes occurring post-bypass surgery (San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/8).