Five-year follow-up of a randomized comparison between off-pump and on-pump stable multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting. The MASS III Trial.

Background: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is a safe, routine procedure. Nevertheless, significant morbidity remains, mostly because of the body's response to the nonphysiological nature of cardiopulmonary bypass. Few data are available on the effects of off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OPCAB) on cardiac events and long-term clinical outcomes.