OFF-PUMP CORONARY ARTERY BY PASS SURGERY

Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery differs from traditional coronary artery bypass surgery because the heart-lung machine is not used.  The aim of off-pump bypass surgery is to decrease the morbidity of coronary artery bypass surgery, such as stroke, renal failure, and need for blood transfusion.  It is also thought that off-pump bypass surgery could lessen the risk of cognitive changes that sometimes occur with the use of the heart-lung machine.  These changes include memory loss and difficulty in concentrating for lengthy periods of time.  These changes usually improve over time but there are concerns that these changes can affect long-term cognitive function.  A disadvantage of off-pump bypass surgery is that suturing must be done on a beating heart.  Because of this stabilizing devices have been developed to help limit the motion of the heart during the operation.  This stabilizing device is placed on the surface of the heart.  With the heart stabilized by this device the surgeon can then perform the bypass surgery on the artery/arteries that are blocked while blood flow continues during the operation.