title: Coronary artery bypass graft operations can be performed safely in obese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is a major public health problem with an increasing prevalence. Although coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations are now performed with low morbidity and mortality rates, obesity is still assumed to be an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality at these operations but there is no precise approach to define it as a risk factor. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of obesity on the clinical outcome of the CABG operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1206 patients, who underwent isolated CABG operation under cardiopulmonary bypass were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I was normal weight, with body mass index (BMI) of 18-24.9 kg/m(2), group II was overweight, with a BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m(2), and group III was obese, with a BMI of >30 kg/m(2). The clinical data of three groups were evaluated in aspects of postoperative morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Except for the superficial wound infections, there were no differences in postoperative mortality and morbidity rates between the three groups. Obesity was not found to be an important risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the perception that obesity increases the risk of mortality and morbidity in CABG operations, the clinical outcome of these patients are not so different from other patients. We may say that obese patients can be safely operated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Center, Zaman Sok. Güngör Apt. 4/9, Dumlupinar Mah., Kadiköy, Istanbul, Turkey. gokcenorhan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gökçen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orhan
authors.forename: Yeşim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Biçer
authors.forename: Serap Aykut
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Aka
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sargin
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simşek
authors.forename: Sahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senay
authors.forename: Zuhal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aykaç
authors.forename: E Ergin
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Eren
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome