Surgical steps toward complete revascularization in off-pump coronary bypass.

Surgical techniques aimed at complete myocardial revascularization without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass are described. Between January 1998 and June 2000, coronary artery bypass was performed in 3,003 patients; an off-pump technique was used in 676 and cardiopulmonary bypass was employed in 2,327. Patient characteristics, demography, and preoperative risk factors of the two groups were compared retrospectively, and differences in operative variables and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.