ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A consecutive series of patients undergoing first-time coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery were analyzed and the impact of off-pump surgery was evaluated. METHODS: From January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2000, 367 patients underwent isolated first-time CABG surgery. One hundred and twenty underwent off-pump CABG (Group A, 32.7%) and 247 underwent conventional on-pump CABG (Group B, 67.3%). Five patients were converted during operation and were included in Group A. The pre-operative characteristics, intra-operative details, and post-operative course were analyzed in the two groups. All patients were followed up between 11 and 23 months (median 18 months) after operation by telephone interviews or questionnaire survey. RESULTS: Early mortality was 2.1% (group A, 0.83%; group B, 2.83%), with the difference not being statistically significant. The incidence of post-op stroke (group A, 1.66%; group B, 3.66%), renal failure (group A, 2.5%; group B, 5.66%), and gastrointestinal complications (group A, 1.66%; group B, 1.21%) was likewise not significantly different in the two groups. However, the patients in group A had a statistically significant lower incidence of low cardiac-output (group A 13.3%; group B 29.5%; p = 0.002), atrial fibrillation (group A 11.66%; group B 30.36%; p<0.001), blood product transfusion (group A 39.66%; group B 89.87%; p<0.001), time on ventilator (group A, 5.96 hrs; group B, 10.31 hrs; p<0.001), and post-op hospital stay (group A, 7.79 days; group B, 9.81 days, p<0.001). Medium-term results (recurrence of angina, late mortality, cardiovascular events, and need for revascularization) were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump CABG results in a decreased incidence of complications in the immediate post-op period with comparable results in the medium term.
