A Comparison in Short Term Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery between Post-COVID and Non-COVID Patients

Introduction : The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on cardiovascular health, with emerging concerns about its impact on surgical outcomes. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery remains a critical intervention for patients with severe coronary artery disease, yet the postoperative recovery of individuals with prior COVID-19 infections is not fully understood. This study aims to compare short-term outcomes between post-COVID and non-COVID patients undergoing CABG, examining differences in complications, recovery trajectories, and hospital stays. Objectives: The objective of the study is to compare short-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery between post-COVID and non-COVID patients. Methods: This comparative observational study was conducted in the Department of cardiac surgery, NICVD, for Study duration 1 years from july 2024 to june 2025. A total of 100 patients with CAD were included, half of them had no previous history of COVID-19 infection (group A), other half had history of covid-19 infection (group B). All patients underwent CABG. Data were collected through a pre-structured questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS-27. Results: Postoperative outcomes showed that Group B had significantly higher incidences of cardiac arrhythmias (48% vs. 26%, p = 0.023), acute kidney injury (38% vs. 16%, p = 0.013), compared to Group A. Although re-exploration (10% vs. 2%, p = 0.092) and mortality (8% vs. 2%, p = 0.169) were more frequent in Group B, these differences were not statistically significant. Post-COVID patients also had a longer mechanical ventilation time (11.80 ± 5.22 hours vs. 7.08 ± 4.69 hours, p < 0.001), a longer ICU stay (6.90 ± 2.17 days vs. 4.92 ± 2.35 days, p < 0.001), and a longer postoperative hospital stay (10.58 ± 3.25 days vs. 8.42 ± 1.84 days, p < 0.001). Baseline demographic characteristics did not show any significant variation between 2 groups, except current smoking status, which was more prevalent in non-COVID group. Conclusion: This study shows that post-COVID patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting experience worse short-term outcomes and longer recovery period. Medicine Today 2026, Vol.38 (2): 285-289