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What is Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting?

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery that improves blood flow to the heart. It is used for people who have severe coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease.
CHD is a condition in which a substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood.

Procedure for Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting?

Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB), also called “Beating Heart” surgery, is an operation to treat narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. This is accomplished by going around or “bypassing” the blocked artery with a healthy vessel called a “graft” that is taken from the leg, arm, or chest. The graft will now carry the blood around the blockage to improve the blood flow to the heart muscle. Traditionally, coronary artery bypass surgery is performed with the heart stopped and the patient on a heart-lung bypass pump. The pump’s function is to oxygenate and circulate the blood while the heart is stopped. This is referred to as cardiopulmonary bypass or CPB. Because there are certain risks associated with CPB, specially trained cardiothoracic surgeons are now performing bypass surgery “off-pump”, meaning without the bypass machine.

OPCAB surgery is open-heart surgery performed without the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and with the heart still beating.

Benefits of Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Benefits of OPCAB surgery may include:

  • Less risks associated with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass pump.
  • Less blood loss and need for transfusions postoperatively
  • Lower rate of wound infections
  • Lower incidence of kidney complications
  • Avoidance of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
  • Decreased risk of Atrial Fibrillation (irregular, fast, ineffective heartbeat)
  • Faster recovery
  • Shorter operating time
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Less costly than traditional coronary bypass surgery

Contact

North Texas Comprehensive Cardiology
2800 North Highway 75
Sherman, Texas 75090

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Practice Hours: M-F 8am – 5pm

  • American Board of Internal Medicine
  • National Board of Echocardiography
  • Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology
  • American Board of Vascular Medicine