A prospective randomized study to evaluate splanchnic hypoxia during beating-heart and conventional coronary revascularization.

Objective: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with gut mucosal hypoxia, which may contribute to gastrointestinal complications. We examined gastric mucosal oxygenation together with whole-body oxygen flux in low-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with and without CPB.

Methods: Fifty-four patients undergoing primary CABG by the same surgeon were randomized into either on-pump (ONCAB, n=27) or off-pump (OPCAB, n=27) groups.