Awake OPCAB: Initial Experience / 대한흉부외과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: High thoracic epidural anesthesia allows awake coronary artery bypass grafting, avoiding the drawbacks of mechanical ventilation and general anesthesia. Materian and Method: From April, 2005 to September, 2005, 12 patients were underwent awake coronary artery bypass grafting using high thoracic epidural anesthesia. There were 1 female and 11 male patients, with a mean age of 66+/-6 years. Off pump coronary artery bypass grafting was performed through a median sternotomy using arterial grafts. RESULT: There were no mortality. Pneumothorax was developed during surgery in 8 patients. Five patients required secondary intubation because of pneumothorax (n=3), bowel herniation (n=1), and hemothorax after chest tube insertion (n=1). Postoperative coronary angiography was performed before discharge in all patients and all the grafts were patent. CONCLUSION: Our intial experience demonstrated the feasibility of awake off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Further study is required to define the indications, advantages and limitations of this strategy.