Limitation of infarct size has been proven to improve the prognosis in patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI). Emergency coronary bypass surgery may be used for this aim. We operated on 44 such patients within 15 days of onset of MI. Operation was done within 6 hr in 11 patients and later on in the other 33, due to post infarction angina or incomplete MI. One patient died in the perioperative period. Thirty nine patients were followed at a mean of 33 months: 2 have angina, one dyspnea and the rest is asymptomatic. We believe that bypass surgery is an effective treatment in selected patients with recent MI.