Myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation in patients at high operative risk.

It is considered that over 25% of surgical patients with coronary artery disease are treated without extracorporeal circulation, i.e. off-pump coronary artery bypass. The aim of the study was to evaluate results of surgical myocardium revascularization in patients at high operative risk. During the period 2005-2008, 148 patients were operated without the use of extracorporeal ciruculation. According to the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) stratification, 28 patients (19%) were designated as the high risk patients. The average age of these high risk patients was 72 years (55-86). The group consisted of 23 men (82.1%) and 5 women (17.8%). The postoperative mortality in the whole group of patients was 0.68% (1/148), whereas it was 0% in the high risk group. The average number of coronary anastomoses was 2.4. Eight patients (28.6%) had some sort of postoperative complications. Our results demonstrate safety and efficacy of surgical revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass in patients at high operative risk.