A New Alternative to Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting?

Surgery performed with minimal extracorporeal circulation showed promise in a randomized trial.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery may reduce length of hospital stay and recovery time compared with on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, but possibly at the expense of graft patency (Journal Watch Cardiology Oct 10 2007). Now, researchers in Italy have compared OPCAB with bypass performed with minimal extracorporeal circulation (MECC) in a randomized study of 300 patients. This new technique employs a closed-loop, heparinized blood circuit from the right atrium to the ascending aorta with a centrifugal pump, membrane oxygenation, and conventional cannulae placed via a median sternotomy. Cardioplegic arrest and bypass grafting are performed in a manner similar to that of on-pump CABG, but the bypass circuit is shortened to…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHeart Valve Collaboratory (Scientific Committee Member, Chair of the Publications Committee)

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHeart Valve Collaboratory (Scientific Committee Member, Chair of the Publications Committee)