title: Less invasive coronary artery bypass surgery: early results in 1083 patients operated off-pump.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the early results of coronary surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass using the EuroSCORE risk model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of a series of 1104 consecutive patients undergoing CABG during a 20-month period and whose data were prospectively collected, 1083 patients (98.1%) were operated without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and represent the patient population. Mean age was 65.6 +/- 9.9 years (31-90), 23.1% were female, 77.9% hypertensive, 38.0% diabetic, 22.8% had peripheral vascular disease, 73.0% triple-vessel disease, 54.7% previous myocardial infarction and 67.0% were in CCS class III or IV. Three hundred and forty-one patients (31.5%) were operated on urgently. Surgery was performed with the aid of cardiac stabilizers and intracoronary shunts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of distal anastomoses was 2.9; the left internal mammary artery was used in 99% of patients. In 10 patients (0.9%), conversion to CPB was required, without mortality or morbidity. Sixteen patients (1.5%) had myocardial infarction; mean troponin T and CK-MB at 24 h were 0.20 +/- 0.43 ng/ml and 28.2 +/- 49.9 U/l respectively. Twenty patients (1.8%) had neurologic deficit, 10 (0.9%) required hemofiltration or dialysis, 229 (21%) received blood transfusions and 135 (14.2%) had atrial fibrillation. Median intubation time was 9 h, and median ICU stay was one day. Median hospital stay was 5 days. Twelve patients died in hospital (1.1%). Thirty-day observed mortality and EuroSCORE-predicted mortality were 1.3% and 4.0% respectively (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Off-pump CAB surgery has become our preferred method in almost all patients undergoing coronary surgery, without compromising completeness of revascularization. Observed mortality was significantly lower than that predicted by EuroSCORE and the incidence of complications was reasonably low considering the population's risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Departamento da Circulação, Hospital da Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, Lisboa, Portugal. miguel.uva@hcvp.com.pt
authors.forename: Miguel Sousa
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Uva
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matias
authors.forename: Florbela
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Albino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Armindo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bau
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: Judite
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Manuel Pedro
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Magalhães
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies