title: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in high-risk patients: a review.
abstract: The role of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) grafting in high risk patients remains controversial. While there have been studies showing the potential benefits of it, there is still a lot to be learned from the application of this technique in this sub-group of patients. The results of the different trials and papers that we reviewed seem to indicate a benefit in the OPCAB group. Despite of the fact that trials were significantly different in methodology, especially when choosing the risk score stratification tool or the cut-off to define high risk the literature seems to suggest a benefit from the use of OPCAB surgery. Here, we present a review which focussed on early and late outcome in high risk patients undergoing on- and off-pump coronary revascularization.
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Gustavo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chivasso
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fudulu
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rapetto
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sedmakov
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marsico
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakkar
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.affiliation: Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol University, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Gianni D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Angelini
keywords: CABG; Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB); coronary by-pass grafting; high risk; off-pump; review