Off-pump coronary artery bypass: techniques, pitfalls, and results

In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), coronary artery anastomosis is generally performed under cardiac arrest using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). To avoid the invasiveness of CPB, off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) is currently also used. In Japan, in particular, OPCAB now accounts for 60 % of all CABG operations and has become a standard surgical procedure. We herein provide a discussion of OPCAB. The goals of coronary artery bypass surgery are to achieve complete revascularization and maintain a high rate of graft patency for the long term. This requires stable exposure of the coronary arteries, including those located on the posterior surface of the heart and the formation of good-quality anastomoses. Achieving this depends not only on the competency of the individual surgeon, but also on smooth and effective teamwork among everyone involved, including the other surgeons, anesthetists, clinical technicians, and nurses. It is important for surgeons and surgical teams to examine their own outcomes and engage in self-scrutiny in an endeavor to improve these outcomes.