Complete revascularization is compromised in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Patients who undergo off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) commonly receive fewer bypass grafts and are more often incompletely revascularized compared with those receiving conventional coronary artery bypass (CCAB) recipients. Because this can compromise survival, we sought to determine whether patients undergoing OPCAB are incompletely revascularized and whether this affects long-term survival and freedom from cardiac events.

Methods: OPCAB cases (n = 411) performed from January 1, 1997 to June 30, 2003 were considered for inclusion and matching with 874 randomly selected, contemporary CCAB cases.

Inferior vena cava division to access post-repair pulmonary venous obstruction.

Post-repair pulmonary venous obstruction is a complication that may occur after surgical repair of total anomalous pulmonary veins. Obstruction may occur at the site of surgical anastomosis or it may be intrinsic to the pulmonary veins. The optimal approach to post-repair pulmonary venous obstruction remains controversial because of high mortality rates and persistent risk of re-stenosis.