The preoperative, postoperative and late follow-up data of an initial series of two hundred patients with coronary artery disease, who underwent direct coronary artery surgery, were analyzed. With increasing experience operative mortality, postoperative complications, graft closure and perioperative myocardial infarction showed a definite decrease. Patency rate was definitely related to symptomatic relief, return to work, postoperative exercise tolerance, and the absence of perioperative myocardial infarction.