Coronary surgery: which method to use?

Objective: To compare 4 methods of myocardial protection in GABG in terms of markers of myocardial ischemia, mortality, morbidity and mid-term results.

Material & Methods: Retrospective study of 241 consecutive patients undergoing isolated > 1 CABG using one of 4 methods: off-pump (OFF, n = 108), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cardioplegia (CARD, n = 66), CPB and beating heart (BEAT, n = 47), or CPB and ventricular fibrillation (FIBR, n = 20). Mean age was 65.